I'm Not Like You
by Hidden Guardian
Summary: COMPLETE AU. What happens when the three biggest outcasts fall in love with their more popular lookalikes? What happens when Bakura and Marik team up to make Ryou and Malik theirs? YY, BR, MM
1. Heartbreak

Disclaimer: I don't own anything used in this fic. **Pouts**

Note: This takes place in America, because I know nothing about Japanese schooling and cliques.

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"Ryou! Ryou-san, wait for me!" The silver-haired bishounin paused, adjusting the book-bag slung haphazardly over his shoulder. Turning to see who had called for him, Ryou couldn't see anyone he recognized until a flash of black and red jumped up, letting him know that poor little Yugi was caught within the crowd.

The chibi-sized boy ducked in-between the legs of the mass crowding the hallway, finally catching up to his friend. "Hey, Yugi-kun. What are you doing on this side of the school? I thought you had science on the other end of the building." "I do. I just ran down here to tell you that Malik got ASD and can't take you home today."

Ryou sighed. It wasn't really surprising that the most violent of their group had gotten after-school detention. Again. Malik just didn't seem to know when to shut his mouth. "What did he do this time?" Yugi chuckled softly, letting Ryou know that this was going to be a good one. "Well, you know that preppy cheerleader, Anzu?"

Ryou scoffed. Who didn't? The girl was a ho. "Yes, Yugi. What happened?" "Malik locked her in the ball-cage in PE and, don't even ask how he managed this one, hung it over the pool."

The two shared a look before bursting into laughter, getting many strange looks from the students shoving past them. This was most definitely not the first time that the school officials had been forced to rescue the brunet bitch from some rather interesting places. No one _could_ figure out how Anzu had ended up trapped in a sousaphone case in the band room.

"What did Anzu do/say to Malik to make him that mad?" Yugi hissed as if though burned. "You know how Malik is working on that program?" Ryou nodded, thinking of the oh-so-impossible-to-understand computer program that Malik had been working on which would allow him to hack into almost any computer in the whole world. "Well, Anzu 'didn't see his bag there' and tossed her backpack on top of Malik's."

Ryou winced. "Poor Malik. Anzu deserved what she got for that one." Yugi nodded, quickly. **Bzzzzz** "Oh! That was the warning bell! Gotta go!" Yugi called, waving back to Ryou as he dashed down the quickly emptying hall. Ryou returned his friend's wave, happily, but his smile dropped as Yugi got farther away and he pulled his hand to his chest. It felt so weird to Ryou; having real friends...

**Bzzzzz** 'Oh, no! I'm late!' Ryou ran to his history class, meeting a mocking closed door. Ryou sighed, knowing that no one in that class had probably even noticed that he wasn't there. He opened the door, closing it quietly behind him, trying not to bother anyone, but was unable to escape his teacher's cold glare as he entered. "Mr. Bakura! Is it really so difficult to get to this class, **on time**?"

There was a soft, scathing snicker echoed through the class as everyone laughed at him. Tears welled up in Ryou's eyes as he shook under the injustice of it all. He had only been late once before, and that was not his fault, but the fault of a bully who had locked him in a supply closet in the science lab.

"Well? Are you going to stand there all day? Sit down!" He moved to his seat, head down, stepping over all of the legs thrown out to trip him. He silently got out his book and proceeded to do his work, ignoring the harsh whispers passed about him in all directions. Ryou Bakura: reject of humanity.

Fifteen or so minutes into the class, Ryou was jarred from his work by a sharp kick to the back of his chair. "Stop it," he hissed, quietly, to whoever would be his tormentor for today. A deep chuckle was heard behind him. As usual, Ryou was seen as being about as threatening as a cotton puff. A few seconds later, a spit-wad hit him in the back of the head.

"Oh, yuck!" Ryou said in a normal tone, drawing everyone's attention, as he got the disgusting wad of paper out of his hair. "Mr. Bakura! You haven't drawn enough attention to yourself today?" the teacher questioned, cruelly. "Ma'am, someone threw a spit-wad at me!" he said, incredulously, trying to defend himself.

"Now, I'm sure none of the other students would do such a thing," she told him, patronizingly. "Continue on with your work. Silently!" she added, seeing him ready to protest again. Ryou hung his head, giving up. "Yes, ma'am."

When she turned her attention from him, Ryou turned around, discretely, to see just who was behind him. He frowned at the boy giving him a feral smirk. Bakura Itemri: the devil incarnate.

Ryou sighed, knowing he couldn't be surprised. Bakura had disliked him from day one when someone had confused the more popular boy for the 'cute new student' and asked him out. Needless to say, she had neither approached Bakura nor Ryou since.

'What was that for?' Ryou asked, writing his inquiry on a sticky-note and passing it to the damnable demon. Bakura read the note and wrote coldly on the back 'your friend will pay for what he did to Anzu. You just wait.' Ryou sent a frosty glare over his shoulder, knowing sadly that it would only make Bakura laugh harder.

Of course it had to do with _her_. After all, she was one of Bakura's faithful little cheerleaders. One of many. After all, who wouldn't want to be seen hanging off of one of the three star football players in the school? Personally, Ryou was often caught wondering why Anzu was so touchy with Bakura when everyone one and their mother knew that she was **so** in love with the quarterback, Yami Motou.

The rest of the class had passed horribly in a torrent of hissed insults, well-aimed spit-wads, and painful jarring from sharp kicks. The only thought that had sustained Ryou was the knowledge that, once he made it through history, it was finally the weekend.

**Bzzzzz!** Sound exploded around Ryou as his classmates let the spirit of Friday engulf them. Ryou stuffed all of his things into his book-bad, cautiously avoiding his composition folder, eager to get to the stadium where, once again, Malik would be stuck for an hour doing janitorial work as his punishment.

"It's three o'clock. Do you know where _your_ friend is?" Ryou didn't even twitch, hearing Bakura seething tone. "Depends on which one you're talking about. You see, unlike yourself, I have more than one person I could truly consider a friend, and as it is, I'm late to meet one of them. If you'll excuse me."

Ryou attempted to stand and walk away from the albino hell-raiser, but a clawed hand grabbed his upper arm, squeezing sharply. "I don't think you realize just who you're talking to," Bakura snarled, nostrils blazing. "Let go of me," Ryou said, trying to sound commanding, but a little whine under his words.

"Oh, I'll let you go, alright." Bakura picked him up around the throat and threw him into the wall, students crowding animalisticly, chanting "fight, fight, fight" over and over again. Ryou was surrounded, trapped in a cage of people standing face to face with a man who could break him in half with a snap of his fingers.

"I don't want to fight you!" Ryou yelled, pupils quivering as he assessed the situation to the best of his ability. There was no way out! Bakura grabbed his collar and pulled him so that his face was inches from Bakura's. "I'll make you regret being born, you little wretch!"

The larger of the two pulled a fist back, ready to strike his littler, when he saw a reflection of himself in the deep pools of chocolate brown. At best, he looked insane. Like a monster. He jerked, letting Ryou go with a shove. "Get out of here, you damn brat," he snarled, the crowd of students parting for him as he left.

With no fight to look forward to, the sea of students followed Bakura out of the class, letting the popular boy lead them around like mindless puppies. Ryou leaned against the wall, clutching his chest and panting. Small sobs wracked his breathing. 'Oh god....' Ryou sniffled, grabbing his bag and getting out of that classroom before anyone else decided to try and duke it out with him.

The clock in the hallway displayed bright red numbers, quite visible in the paste-white hallways of the school. 3:15. If he left now, Malik would barely notice that he had been held up. He tossed his things in his locker, ignoring the usual wave of cruel notes that washed over him as he opened the door.

"Hey, bunny. You want to give me a hand with this garbage?" Malik asked when Ryou got to the football field where the Egyptian had to pick up all of the trash to make the stands look presentable for the home game that night. "Sure." Taking a bag, the two worked, silently, tossing candy wrappers and coke cans in the garbage bags.

"You're being quiet today," Malik pointed out, giving Ryou a soft look. High pitch cheers came from the sidelines where the cheerleading team was 'practicing', watching the football team practice. "I'm fine...just had a little trouble with Bakura again." Malik snarled, his hate for the white-haired demon showing.

"If he messes with you again, tell me. I'll handle that coward." Malik had always considered the bullies who picked on Ryou and Yugi cowardly, not even having the bravery to pick on someone their own size. "I will, Malik. I promise." Malik gave him a loving smile, which Ryou returned.

Contrary to popular belief, the two of them were not dating. In all truth, those rumors had most likely been the result of girls like Anzu. Speaking of the prep, she was down on the sidelines, leading her girls in cheers.

"Go, go, go! Go you mighty tigers! Fight, fight, fight! Fight you mighty tigers! Win, win, win! Win you mighty tigers! Go! Fight! Win!" All of the girls erupted into cheers, acting as if though Anzu had done some **spectacular** thing.

"Hey, Ryou, watch this," Malik growled playfully under his breath. "Hey, Mazaki!" The brunet turned and gave him a scathing look. "What do _you_ want?" "I've got a new cheer for all you little bitches! Wanna hear it? It goes something like this! 'Rah, rah, stuff that bra!'" Malik put his hands on his chest and then jerked them out sharply, mocking the girls.

Enraged cries came from the girls as Malik turned his back to them, chuckling at the names thrown at him. Ryou was giggling behind the hand covering his mouth. Malik flashed him a peace sign.

"You're horrible!" Ryou told him, laughing. Malik grinned. "And?" "Think fast, bastard!" a male called from the field, a football flying at Malik. With super reflexes, Malik blocked his head, the ball falling harmlessly onto the bleachers. Malik glared down at the team, one boy in particular.

"Oops!" the linebacker, Marik Ishtar, said, faking innocence, the insane grin on his face and the flash in his eyes betraying his mocked tone. Malik's eyes blazed with fury. "You want to attack me, you useless jackass?! Then get your fat ass up _here_ and stop hiding behind your lackeys!" Ryou whimpered, clutching Malik's arm. Bakura gave Ryou the world's coldest glare from behind Marik, looking, for all intensive purposes, like a psychotic, looming bodyguard.

Marik just grinned, cruelly, showing of sharp, white teeth. Malik bent over, lavender eyes locked with Marik's, and picked up the ball. Everyone was watching, waiting to see what he would do. Malik turned his back to the masses and tossed the football clear over the back of the bleachers. Giving Marik a little smirk Malik, with a mocking tone, cooed "oops!"

Once again, collective shouts drifted up to the two 'outcasts', but the small victory they had just allowed themselves to enjoy made it worth it. Malik looked down at the football boys, a smile on his face, when a pair of violet eyes caught his own, as Marik stared at him, no emotion, but a hard look, upon his face. Malik's smile diminished as they held glances before he had to look away.

'Damn. His eyes are like fire. Oh god.' Feeling overwhelmed, he staggered, letting his trash bag fall to the floor. Ryou frowned and put a hand to the side of his face, concern reflecting in the chocolate dreams that were his eyes. "Are you alright?" "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Come on, we're going. It's got to be close to four, at least."

Malik took both of the bags, tossing them in the garbage can. As they left the stadium, heading to the lot where his bike was waiting for him, loyally, Malik felt someone watching their departure. He didn't have to turn around to see the blazing purple eyes that followed his every move.

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Yugi walked around the mall 30 minutes later, planning to meet up with his friends, completely oblivious to what had happened back at the school. Pop music blared loudly from some new 'hip' store on the strip, full of girls dressed like the world's most dishonorable kind of slut who were examining new potential purchases.

Yugi kept his head down as he passed the store, recognizing many of the girls in there as cheerleaders. 'Something must have happened to disrupt practice,' he thought to himself, trying to dismiss the idea that whatever had occurred was Malik's fault.

Continuing to walk with his head down, Yugi couldn't really see where he was going. Therefore, it should have come as no surprise when he walked right into someone. Yugi, being smaller than whomever he had collided with, accepted the mass of the force, falling backwards and onto his butt.

"I'm sorry," Yugi apologized, picking himself off of the ground, "I wasn't watching where I was going." The other chuckled. "That's alright, no harm done." Yugi looked up and met the deep crimson eyes of the only person on Earth that could pass for the boy's near doppelganger.

"Oh, gosh, I'm really sorry, Atemu-san," Yugi rushed out, cowering a bit before the boy who could make or break a person in seconds. If one thought Bakura or Marik were sharks in the 'popularity world', they would immediately be shown to Yami Atemu. Money, looks, charisma, and a million sports awards, Yami had it all. The entire school was under the control of him, alone.

Yami placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright. Accidents happen. Besides, you're the one who got knocked down. I should be apologizing to you." Yugi blushed bright red as Yami bowed from the waist, with a murmured "gomen nasi". Yugi stammered.

"I-I-I have to go. Bye!" He dashed down the hall, not stopping until he reached the smoothie place where Malik and Ryou were waiting for him in a booth. "Yugi!" Ryou called to him, waving perkily. Malik just acknowledged him with a jerk of the head. "What's up, guys? Did I keep you waiting?"

"Nah. We've only been her for about ten minutes. After wrecking football and cheerleading, there just wasn't anything for me to do," Malik said with a grin. Yugi shook his head. "I should have known." A busty, blonde waitress set down a tray with three frozen treats on it.

"That'll be $4.13," the girl purred to Malik. He crinkled his nose as he looked at her. "Mai? Mai Kujaku?" The girl tilted her head. "Mali?" Yugi tackled the girl with a hug. "Mai!" The blonde laughed, hugging him. "So this is what you're doing now that you've graduated, girl? You must be _really_ bored."

She nodded. "You have no idea. I still have another month before I head off to college, so here I am." "Kujaku, you're on clock! Get to work!" She sent a puppy look to the manager who was yelling at her from behind the counter. He blushed hotly and looked away.

She uncapped a pen and grabbed Malik's hand, writing on it. "'Mai: 135-4621'. Call me sometime, cutie." She dashed off, leaving the boys blinking after her. "Did you notice that she called Malik 'cutie'?" Ryou asked. "Yeah. Did you notice that she didn't even grab the cash?" Spoken too soon. On her next passing, the grabbed the $5 fisted in Malik's hand.

Mai had always been that way. She was a year older than they were, but after a very short fling with Malik that had ended on agreement from both sides, she had been a pretty close friend of theirs. Mai had been different than every other girl in that conformant prison of a school. Instead of dreaming of being a cheerleader, Mai would grope the cheer-bitches....

"Oh, well," Malik said with a shrug, passing Mai's actions of as her being her. "Shop time!" Ryou cheered. Being the most effeminate of the group, Ryou had a penchant for shopping that very few people could match. Their first stop was the entertainment store, where they, upon entry, headed straight to the 'imported music' section.

"Guys!" Yugi called with a gasp; "Bad Luck has a new CD out!" The three boys squealed, grabbing a copy of their favorite J-pop group's new album. "I _love_ Bad Luck!" Ryou cooed, hugging the disk to his chest. "Oh, me too," Malik said, running a finger over the picture of the guitarist, Hiroshi. Ryou sighed, wistfully.

"Oh, how I wish my music was anywhere near as good as theirs." Malik and Yugi looked at him. "Speaking of, what's been happening with Rage Beat? You don't talk about the band as much any more." Ryou blushed. "Well...I just didn't want to jinx it. You see, because we've finished most of the composing work, our next step is to get some performances."

"And? Have you gotten any?" Malik asked, eyes wide. "I was...going to bring it up later, but we have a performance tomorrow night at The B-Scale. It's a little music club." Yugi glomped him. "That's great! I'm sure you'll do wonderful!" Ryou smiled. "I hope so. I sure am nervous. Everyone is counting on me."

"Well, don't you worry, pal," Malik said, draping an arm over his shoulder. "When you get on stage to give a show like no one's ever seen, Yugi and I will be in the audience cheering like we're on speed." Ryou laughed at Malik's exact wording and returned their hugs. "Aw, thanks, you guys. You're the greatest."

Their group-glomp was interrupted; however, by a scathing remark. "Aw, look. Faggots. Ain't they _cute_?" The boys' heads whipped to the direction of the cruel comment. Ryou and Yugi gulped and shrunk behind Malik. Ushio.

Malik looked over the gang made up of the over-sized bullock and his little bitches. "Aw, look. Dumb asses. Ain't they stupid?" Ushio growled and grabbed the front of Malik's shirt. "Give me all of your money if you want to live."

Malik looked at him evenly, counting the number of enemies. "One, two, three, four, five, six. Okay, so there's six of you and only one of me." He faked a helpless look. "What am I to do?"

Malik jerked from Ushio's hold, getting him across the jaw with a roundhouse kick. The large man's lackeys stood there frozen as he held a hand against his mouth, blood seeping past his fingers. "Don't just stand there! Get him!" They attacked all at once, not giving Malik any chance to defend himself.

Fighting to the best of his abilities, Malik clawed, bit, and kicked at the group of boys currently trying to, as best as he could figure, remove his intestines. Yugi and Ryou were in on the fight to. "Stop it!" Ryou cried, trying to tug one of the smaller boys off of Malik. "Leave him alone!"

The boy backhanded Ryou, sending him to the floor; face bruised and embedded with a red handprint. Suddenly, every hit seemed to fall in a dimension that Malik had no contact with. This was why he fought. He had to protect his friends...

Malik made a wild slash, feeling skin underneath his nails, and bit down on the first body part to come anywhere near his mouth. As the struggle continued, the number of hits lessened and the force of those hits had divided by half. They were weakening! Malik flung out a clawed hand when he saw someone come at him, then fell to the floor.

While he had been distracted by the attack from one side, a swift kick had been delivered to his ribs. The thugs, ones that Malik thought he had gotten rid of, were holding Ryou and Yugi. He hadn't been winning! They were going after the others!

Ushio stood over Malik and cracked his knuckles. "I'll teach you better than to mess with me boy." Two lackeys held him up for the blow that Malik could guess would fall on either his ribs or face. He sent a look to his friends. 'I couldn't protect them....'

Malik closed his eyes before the fist flying towards his face. But the hit never came. "Ow! Ow, ow, ow!" Malik cracked his eyes open after hearing Ushio's whimpers and gasped. Standing over him was one of the few people he had ever expected to care. Standing over him...was Marik Ishtar.

Who was holing Ushio's fist in his hand, squeezing it! "Let him go," Marik stated calmly to the men holding Malik on either side. When they didn't immediately comply, Marik wrenched Ushio's hand harder. "Now!"

Malik fell to his knees as they let him go. More whimpers of pain came from the direction of his friends as Bakura and Yami easily got the thugs off of their look-a-likes. Marik got right in Ushio's face and growled at him. "Now listen, bitch. I don't ever want to see you messing with them again."

Ushio cried out as Marik twisted his wrist at an odd angle. "Are we clear?" "Yes, yes!" "Good." Marik shoved him. "Get!" Ushio and his lackeys couldn't run quick enough if Hermes had set their asses aflame.

The more 'social' of the two tanned-skin boys leaned down to the other. "Are you alright?" Malik muttered something under his breath as Yami helped Yugi brush off and Bakura begrudgingly tried to place Ryou's spikes into something resembling order. "What did you say?" Marik asked him.

"Why the hell did you have to butt in!" Marik raised an eyebrow. "You should be thanking me, boy. I just saved your ass." "If I'd wanted your help, I would have asked for it!" Malik yelled. "Mali..." Ryou cooed, softly.

Marik got right in Malik's face. "After what you did, earlier, I should have left you to get the shit beat out of you. But I, out of the goodness of my heart, helped you. Show some gratitude!" "You've ruined everything!" Malik shouted at him.

Marik's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?" "Don't you get it? If they think we need jerks like you to protect us, then you might as well just paint a bully target on us!" Yugi hugged Malik from behind. Marik frowned. "Ushio won't bother you anymore."

"It's-It's not like he was the worst of our problems," Ryou sniffled. Malik looked like his whole world had crashed around him. "You want gratitude. Well, thanks. Thanks for signing our death warrants."

The outcasts made to leave, but Marik grabbed Malik's wrist. "Had I known, I wouldn't have done that." Malik kept his head facing the other direction. "Whatever." Malik pulled out of his grip, only stopping for the group to get their Bad Luck CDs.

Bakura growled. "Well that was the biggest waste of my time that I've had to encounter." "Whether they'll admit it or not, they needed help!" Yami protested. "Please! We just wasted our precious time to save the lowest step on the whole damn social ladder. Helping them was social suicide!"

Yami glared at Bakura. "I'm not discrediting what we had to do to get where we are, but that doesn't mean we have to loose all sense of humanity!" Before Bakura, could respond, Marik put his hand between them. "Let's just go." Upon exiting the store, however, a slender hand grabbed Marik's arm.

"It might be a bit too late...but thanks." Marik smiled at Malik. "You're welcome." The corners of Malik's mouth twitched before he turned away and went to where Ryou and Yugi were sitting. "Why did you thank him?" Ryou asked him. "Because, whether I like it or not, he saved me."

"We should probably head home," Yugi said, taking a look at his watch. It was rapidly nearing 5:30, and Friday night traffic was always murder. "I'll give you a ride home," Malik offered to Ryou, who lived less than a mile away. "I'll see you guys later," Yugi told them, giving them both hugs before rushing home to have dinner with his grandpa.

Malik climbed onto his bike, passing a helmet back to Ryou. "You know, Malik...I didn't want to say anything earlier, but it was really brave of you to try and fight all of them by yourself." Malik sighed, pulling Ryou on behind him so the boy would be pressed against him. "I couldn't protect you and Yugi. I couldn't keep you safe."

"Malik, there were six of them, and only one of you! You were very brave, Malik. I couldn't even defend myself...." "You are strong, Ryou." Malik insisted. "A lot stronger than I am. What am I? I few beefed up mussels, a tough guy attitude. But you...." Malik pulled up in front of Ryou's house and got off the bike, turning to face Ryou, leaning in close. "You have a strong heart, Ryou. That's something that no one can ever touch."

He leaned in closer, Ryou looking at him with sparkling eyes, and pressed his lips to Ryou's. The littler boy gasped, then melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Malik. The Egyptian responded by deepening the kiss, Ryou moaning as Malik pushed his tongue past his lips. The broke their kiss softly, the albino looking at Malik with tears in his eyes, his lips parted slightly.

"I love you, Ryou." Ryou smiled back. "I love you, too."

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"Let's go on a date!" Malik said, suddenly, from his lazed position on Ryou's couch. Ryou looked up from the blueberry muffins he was making for the two of them. "Are you serious?" "Come on, Ryou. We're young and in love! The world is ours!" He laughed at Malik's enthusiasm.

"Well...okay. It sounds like fun!" Malik grinned and hugged Ryou. "Great! We can go to the mall, and to a movie, and we can get you ready for your concert." Ryou's smile dropped. "Oh, god. Pre-performance nerves. Bathroom!"

He ran out of the kitchen and into the bathroom, emptying his nearly empty stomach. Malik rubbed his back and washed his face with a cool rag. "I can't do this, I can't do this!" "Shh. Shh. You're going to be fine, Ryou," Malik soothed. "You are going to get on that stage and give a show that the angels will come down for. And when you finish, Yugi and I will be backstage waiting to glomp you and dote over you like never before."

Ryou looked at him and hugged him. "Thank you, Malik!" Malik petted his little dove's hair, softly. You bet. Now come on. Let's have breakfast, get dressed, and go have some fun!" Ryou giggled. "Okay!"

After their meal, Malik and Ryou found themselves, once again, at the mall. Which wasn't within itself surprising, considering that in their town there were very few other places to 'hang'.

"Have you decided what you're going to wear tonight?" Malik asked Ryou, casually flipping through some black t-shirts with rude sayings. "Ooh, have to get this one!" he commented, holding up a shirt stating boldly 'you laugh because I'm different, I laugh because you're ugly'. Ryou laughed at the message.

"That is so you, Malik. But to answer your question, no. I have no idea what I'm going to wear tonight." The blonde grinned. "Sounds like you...are in need of a Malik!" he proclaimed proudly. "Oh, really?" Ryou asked, jokingly, "And just what does a Malik do?"

"Why, it makes a Ryou look sexy, of course! Come on!" Malik dragged Ryou from store to store, making him try on over a hundred outfits. "To tight." "To baggy." "To 'oh-my-god, look at me, I swallow'." Ryou blushed as he sat in a dressing stall in only his underwear, waiting for Malik to bring him another outfit to model off for him. "Ryou, you might as well get dressed. There's nothing here. We should try somewhere else."

The albino hurried to get his clothes back on, cheeks still pink. As he exited, Malik took him into his arms. "You look all red, beautiful." "Well...I just get embarrassed while I wait on you." Malik squeezed him. "Sorry. How's this? You can at least take my jacket to cover up in."

He placed his soft, leather jacket over Ryou's shoulders. Ryou flushed, cuddling into the warm coat. "Thank you." They went to the last clothing store in the mall, which just happened to be called 'Rock 'em Out'.

"This is perfect!" Malik stated, looking around. "Mal, with such an obvious title and all, why didn't' we come in here before?" The Egyptian shrugged, digging into stacks of clothed, making a new stack in Ryou's arms.

"If you think I'm cleaning that up, you're on speed," a cool voice said from behind him. Malik gritted his teeth, regretting the notion that he would have to turn to face the demon. "Hello, Bakura. What are you doing here?" "I work here, duh." Ryou ducked into himself, hoping Bakura would somehow over-look him. In school, there were teachers to keep Bakura from hurting him, no matter how few would bother. Outside of school, he had Malik, but he would never forgive himself if Bakura hurt Malik.

"What does a little shrimp like you need big-name labels for anyway, brat?" Great, he'd noticed him. "I'm just trying on some new outfits, Itemri-kun." Bakura 'hrumph'ed. "You should be on your knees thanking me for saving your ass yesterday. Especially after how much of a little bitch you were to me at school."

Malik growled and hugged Ryou. "What is he talking about?" Ryou blushed. "It's nothing, Malik. I promise." "Okay. You go try those on, and let me see how they look." "Alright." When Ryou walked off, Malik glared icily at Bakura. "I don't ever want you to go near him again. Ryou goes through enough without jackasses like you messing with him."

Bakura grinned at him. "What, think I'll steal your bitch? I must admit, he is sexy," he purred, licking his lips. "How narcissistic," Malik scoffed. "Hey, I calls 'em as I sees 'em. Besides, I doubt he'll be with you for that long." Malik sent him an icy glare. "Why not?"

"Because I know of someone that likes you enough to kill the brat if he found out you were with him." "Whatever," Malik said, brushing him off, passing it off as Bakura's usual jeers and threats. "I wouldn't take my warning so lightly if I were you. Unless you _want_ for him to die." Malik paused.

"I don't play that 'well, I have this friend' game. Tell me straight up, who is it?" Bakura grinned. "Oh, but that would ruin the fun of knowing a dirty little secret. So, I'll tell you what. Because I'm a nice guy, I'll give you some hints. 1) He knows a lot more about you than you do about him. 2) He would be able to give you a solid _home_ for the rest of your life." Malik gasped. 'How could he know-' "and 3) He has something you love."

"Well, a lot of good that does me!" Bakura's look darkened. "Be grateful, you wretch. I could have just sat back and watched your toy die." Malik glared but didn't respond. "Malik? I think I've found one I like." Bakura and Malik turned to look at him. "Ryou, you look...you...good god!"

Ryou blushed. "No good? Oh, I thought it was all right. I'll just-" "Don't you dare change out of that. You look wonderful!" The smaller albino was wearing a pair of loose-legged, fairly tight-crotched cargo pants, red sneakers, and a red shirt with a crazy-looking cat doing a very bad job at hiding an ax behind it with the subtitle 'I'm a nice person. Come closer.'

"Even I have to admit, you clean up good, brat," Bakura commented. Ryou blushed brighter than Malik had ever seen and stammered. "T-thank you, I-itemri-san." The little green monster within Malik reared its head. "Come on, Ryou. Let's pay for these and go." "Okay."

As they checked out, Malik noticed Bakura's hand brushing over Ryou's intimately, rubbing their skin together lightly. By the time they were finished with checkout, Malik was ready to kill Bakura. "Remember: he would kill him," the albino prep muttered to Malik as he made to grab Ryou's bag.

"Sure. Whatever you say, freak." He left, leaving Bakura behind, chuckling. Arms wrapped around him from behind and sharp teeth bit his ear, canines slipping into the hole where his earring would usually be. "Traitor. You said you wouldn't tell anyone."

Bakura groaned. "I never said I wouldn't **moan** help him figure it out. Or did you want him to remain oblivious to how you feel?" A sharp tug on his ear. "That didn't mean I want you telling him that I'll kill his lover. I doubt that will go over well with him." "But what a better way to get them to break up?" "You know nothing."

Bakura turned and grinned at Marik. "Shall we go in back and I'll show you just how much I _do_ know?" Marik smirked. "I'd like that."

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Malik took another sip of his virgin daiquiri. It wasn't bad, but Malik was used to the real thing. Yugi sat beside him, drinking a regular cola. "What time is it?" the smaller asked. "It's about 7. Rage Beat should be on soon."

"Kay." Malik lifted his drink again, only to find it empty. "What the hell?!" He turned to see a face grinning right in his. "Thanks, I was parched." Malik glared at Marik. "Bastard." Marik just grinned wider. "And?" He plopped down at the table.

"Did I say you could sit down?" "Did you say I couldn't not sit down?" Malik just twitched, deciding to give up. "Stupidity is contagious. Go get your shots." "That isn't nice," Marik told him, grabbing his chin. "Maybe I should give you some sugar to sweeten you up."

**Bam!** Marik was laying on the floor with what would probably end up being a broken nose. Oh well. No one could say he hadn't deserved it. "Nice hit," Yami commented, helping his leveled friend off the floor. "Little bitch," Marik cursed, holding a napkin to his nose.

"If you want a slut, do Mazaki. Or do you want a girl?" he sneered. Bakura glared at him. "Anzu is a girl." Marik's eyes widened with shock. "She is?" Soon, Malik was the one on the floor, laughing sweetly. "My thoughts exactly."

However, when Malik had gotten up, his chair was gone. Or more to the point, Marik was sitting in it. "That's my chair. Move." Marik grinned. "Well, you can sit here, too, baby." Malik gagged. But...looking around the club, he had to notice that there wasn't even a single seat open.

"Alright...but you lay one body part on me and I cut it off. No matter what it is." Marik gulped at the idea of loosing 'little Mari'. "Got it." Malik begrudgingly sat in Marik's lap, only able to hope that Ryou wouldn't want to kill him upon seeing him.

Yami leaned against the table with his elbow rested upon it, used to standing for long periods of time. He decided that, as Marik was quite content seeing just how much he could touch Malik before the boy would whack him and Bakura had never been much of a conversationalist, he would satisfy his urge to talk to somebody by talking to Yugi. "I never quite pictured you to be the type to come in a place like this."

Yugi blushed. "One of my friends is performing on stage tonight. Malik and I are here to give him a little confidence." "That's sweet of you." Yugi's blush could only increase. "We're hoping that if it goes well tonight, it might put Rage Beat on the map." Yami smiled.

"Sounds like you really want your friend, seeing as Malik is being accosted, I'll assume it's Ryou, to hit it big." "It's his dream." Bakura scoffed, eavesdropping. "'Dreams?' 'Wishes?' Someone needs to give this kid a taste of the real world." Yugi glared half-heartedly at him.

"Well, _I_ think that he can do it!" "You do that," Bakura said, evasively. Before Yugi could argue with him, the lights dimmed, and the announcer's voice echoed over the club.

"Welcome to The B-Scale, where we always work to promote new bands. And speaking of new bands, we're honored to have a new group of local teens debuting here. Everyone, welcome...Rage Beat!"

Malik and Ryou cheered loudly as the lights flashed blue on the musicians, the keyboard, drums, and guitar, and the two background singers. A brilliant red light shone on Ryou, who was standing mid-stage with his head down. He looked up to meet Malik's eyes, a little question about his seating arrangement, but willing to over look it.

'Bad Luck' Malik mouthed, knowing they would inspire Ryou's performance tonight. Ryou nodded, and the drummer clicked off beats. "Three. Two. One!"

A brilliant beat filled the air, barely measures into the song and everyone already liking the beat. Ryou closed his eyes, listening for his opening. He opened his mouth, and readied to sing.

(Such a tempting cliff-hanger. But I want to finish this where I had planned to. I just interrupted to say that I, in my spare time, wrote this song. If you like it, please tell me so. Because I would like for my group to try it sometime.)

I want to scream and I want to cry / It takes years for a day to go by / No one really knows me, no one cares / I know sometimes life ain't fair!

Ryou's voice changed from the super timid little whisper that he usually spoke with to a master of vocals. Every word, every syllable was perfectly in tune. Bakura stared up at the little Muse up on stage.

Open my eyes so that I can see / I'm down praying on my knees. Make it stop / Make it all go away / I can't live like this every day / To go on so void of emotion / His heart black as the depths of the ocean!

Ryou felt sweat dripping on his skin, seeing everyone in the club as if they were on another plane of existence. It was like he was all alone, just he upon that stage, trying to sing with weights pressing on his chest. But looking over the crowd, a pair of wood-brown eyes met his own, captivated. Bakura simply stared at him, transfixed by the music.

Do you know the stress I live / How much of me I have to give / The days go by, they never change / Day by day, it's all the same / Don't know how to carry on / If I'm dreading every coming dawn!

Bakura couldn't help but feel that Ryou was singing to him. It was almost like he was calling to him through a tunnel, calling for help. "Ryou," he whispered. The little angel smiled, closing his eyes and loosing himself in the song.

Make it stop / Make it all go away / I can't live like this every day / To go on so void of emotion / His heart black as the depths of the ocean!

'Bakura...if only you knew who I am singing this song for. I can never tell you. I love you. But I can't betray Malik, now that I've accepted his love. I'm sorry.'

So tired, I'm worn out / Filled with shattered dreams and doubt / But I'll continue on in this way / God, grant me the strength to stay / All the many dreams I had / Shall come to nothing on a cold, stone slat!

Make it stop / Make it all go away / I can't live like this every day / To go on so void of emotion / His heart black as the depths of the ocean!

Ryou repeated the chorus one last time, his emotions so strong that there was a trail of tears running down his cheeks. He wasn't the only one. So near everyone else in the club had been brought to tears. There was silence over every person.

The albino looked so sad. They had hated it...oh, god! Ryou was trying so hard to fight back the tears that threatened to once again spill down his cheeks. He pulled his mike off the cord and turned to walk away. **Clap, clap, clap.** Ryou turned around to see Bakura, eyes shining, applauding him slowly.

Malik and Yugi joined in, followed by Marik, Yami, and, soon after, everyone else. Ryou stood there as every person in there cheered for him, clapping and shouting. Ryou smiled and bowed to the crowd, turned, and walked off-stage.

"Oh my god," Yami gasped, trying to catch his breath. "He's incredible!" Yugi couldn't resist the urge to stick his tongue out at Bakura and say the ever-classic line of "I told you so." However, Bakura didn't seem to notice. In fact, he seemed to be in a trance. "Bakura? Are you okay?" Marik asked, touching the edges of his eyes on the back of Malik's shirt before his make-up could run.

"My god...that was amazing." Yugi smiled. "Yes. He's always been an unbelievable singer. And he's been pouring his soul into that song for three years." Marik raised an eyebrow. "Three years? You can write a three or more page long poem in less than an hour, and I can't see writing music as being that hard."

"Well, it wouldn't have taken him as long as it did if there weren't so many occasions where his notebook was stolen, or his bag ransacked, every paper in it torn, his books thrown in the pool." Through all of this, Malik glared icily at Bakura. The albino didn't respond, knowing with guilt that Malik was right.

"Come on, let's go see him!" Yugi cheered, getting up, grabbing Yami's wrist, and pulling him through the crowd. Marik nuzzled Malik's ear. "I think your little friend likes Yami." Malik pulled away with a snarl. "No duh. Now get, you jackass!"

Marik slipped a hand into Malik's shirt, the smaller blushing and feeling it getting very warm in there. "I don't think it will be a problem for me to 'get off', baby." Malik wrenched away from him and looked at him with blazing eyes. "Just leave me the fuck alone!"

He stormed off after Yami and Yugi, leaving Marik standing behind. Marik hung his head and Bakura couldn't stand not to throw in his own two cents. "Maybe you were a little forward for him." Marik glared. "Oh, shut up." 'Don't you worry, Malik. You will be mine.'

Yugi ran into Rage Beat's practice room, glomping Ryou from behind. "You were so incredible! I knew you'd be a hit!" Ryou laughed, hugging Yugi. "Thank you, Yugi-kun. I have to admit, I was really nervous at first. But I just kept thinking 'I can do this, I can do this'."

"And you did!" Malik stated, joining their hug. "You did so good, angel!" Ryou blushed. "Thanks, Malik." The Egyptian gave him a final squeeze and let him go. "We'd better help you guys get all of this stuff out to Kamoru's van," Malik said, drawing the attention of the female-swamped percussionist. "Sure, I'll take you guys out there. Ryou, you just stay here and relax," Kamoru said, kissing his singer's hair.

Everyone started moving equipment out of the room, cleaning up from their show. All except Bakura, who stood in the shadows, watching Ryou. The smaller of the two started humming softly, cleaning the thin layer of makeup off of his face.

"You did really good up there, brat," Bakura commented, nonchalantly. Ryou blushed, brightly, avoiding meeting Bakura's eyes, even in the mirror. "I'm glad that everyone liked it. I've worked really hard to get that song to be any good." Bakura looked away. "No doubt hindered by me, I'm sure."

Ryou put a hand on his arm. "It's alright. I know you don't mean to be like that. It's just how you are." "No, that's the point! It's not the way I am...." Ryou frowned. "It's the way 'they' want you to be...right?" Bakura nodded.

Ryou smiled, sadly. "Do you know the stress I live? How much of me I have to give?" he sang, softly. Bakura blushed, totally out of character. "It sounded like you were almost writing a song about popularity, in a way. It was nice."

Ryou blushed as Bakura stepped closer to him, pressing against him, softly. "It was pretty. Like you are, Ryou." Ryou was experiencing major deja vu, remembering how Malik had moved so close to him, the night before.

"Bakura, please take a step back. I don't like people being this close to me." Bakura glared. "So it's okay with Malik, but not with me?" "Malik is my boyfriend." Bakura cupped Ryou's face.

"I don't care. I want you, Ryou." The darker didn't give him a chance to respond, pressing his lips onto Ryou's, fire spreading over both of their skins, making Ryou feel light-headed. He gasped at Bakura pressed his tongue into Ryou's mouth, slipping his arms around Ryou's waist and pulling him tighter. Ryou whimpered, finding himself unable to form a single thought....

**Shatter.** They broke their kiss to see Malik. Standing in the doorway with tears running down his cheeks. Shards from Malik's broken glass were on the floor under his hand, a trail of blood running over his skin, dripping onto the floor.

"Malik...you have to believe me. We weren't doing anything." Malik growled. "Bullshit. I never pinned you as the type to be such a little whore, Ryou." "Malik, please! Just give me a chance to explain." Malik cracked him across the face as he approached, attempting to hug him.

"Go fuck yourself, Ryou. It's over." Malik walked out, storming past Marik and knocking him, lightly into the doorway. Ryou sniffled and hiccuped before running into the bathroom, sobbing with tears running down his face.

Marik looked at Bakura. And grinned.

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Well? Was it any good? Please drop me a review! Thanks!


	2. Romancing

WowWowWow! I never expected my first chapter of this to be such a big hit! I'm glad all of you like it so much! I guess it's because I'm basing it on what I go through damn near every day. Well, to all of you who reviewed...

THANK YOU!!!

Now on to more pressing matters...the group liked my song well enough, but now they want me to try writing more! I think the easiest way to test them is on you, my loyal readers. Hope you don't mind!

Disclaimer: I don't own much of anything in this fic.

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Malik fumbled in his pockets, looking like the world had collapsed around him. Which, in all manners of speaking, it had. How could Ryou? They had barely been together for one day, and then there he was with Bakura's tongue shoved down his throat.

A little open-mouth sob passed by Malik's lips. Where were his keys?! He threw the little plastic...thing that he had pulled out of his pockets after shoving it in there over a week ago on the ground.

Firm arms grabbed him from behind, holding him to an even firmer chest. "Stop that. Didn't anyone ever tell you that throwing a tantrum is **not** the way to get what you want?" "Let me go, Marik!" "No."

Sharp teeth found his ear, nuzzling his hair. "I never want to let you go, baby." Malik pulled away with a cry. "Just stop it, already! I don't like you!" Marik just looked at him evenly. "Do you hate me so much that you won't even give me a chance with you?"

Malik panted, a wide-eyed look upon his face. "You have no _idea_ how much I hate you! Ever since I started going to that school, you made my life hell! Why, huh? Why? What did I do to make you hate me that much?! Am I such a horrible person that you took it upon yourself to torture me?!"

Marik caught the bundle of Malik that was...Malik, and pulled the boy into his arms. "Malik, I don't hate you! Gods..." Marik slipped a hand against Malik's neck and under his chin, forcing him to look into his eyes. "I love you."

Malik gasped at the admission, seeing all of the emotions swirling in Marik's eyes. The taller smiled softly at him, moving a bit closer to the outcast. Malik let his eyes fall half shut as Marik moved in for the kill....

**BAM!!!**

Marik stumbled back, holding a hand to his aching jaw. Malik looked at him fiercely, fire in his eyes. "Just how gullible do you thing I am??? Just because Ryou and I had a fight doesn't mean that I don't care about him! And I will **not** go around making out with any boy that comes my way because of it!"

Marik could only stare. "But I thought...that you were interested." "Maybe I am. And maybe I'm not. But you have no right to try and _take advantage of me_ just because of a little wave with Ryou!"

Marik let out an unintelligible sound. "Malik, I wasn't trying to take advantage of you, really!" "Bullshit! That's all anyone ever tries to do! Everyone thinks that just because I'm a pretty boy, I'm a slut!" The look on Malik's face sent out the message that he didn't know what to do; hit Marik or burst into tears.

Now, Malik Ishtal does _not_ cry. With that thought in mind, he pulled his fist back and swung at Marik, the other just dodging him. "Why? Why do people keep doing things like this to me?" Marik caught the skinny wrist and pulled the body attached to it into his arms.

Malik openly sobbed into Marik's strong chest. "Everyone sees me as just a piece of ass anyway. All of the thugs that are always following me home. That creepy gym coach that is always staring at me. You. That jerky police man...."

Malik got off of Marik and tried to make himself look presentable, despite his red eyes and tear stained cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Marik. I don't know why I'm acting like this. I guess I'm just a little emotional right now. Sorry. I'm going to head home." Marik reached for Malik's hand. "I'm the one who got you so upset. At least let me take you home."

"You don't have to-" "Malik. I want to." Their eyes met. "I wasn't lying to you before, Malik. I love you." The smaller looked away from him, his eyes on the ground. "Shut up, Marik. I can't deal with this right now."

Marik stepped closer to Malik, shoving him up against a wall. "I can't hide my feelings from you, Malik. And if you want me to lie to you, then I would have to deny you. I have loved you from the first time I laid eyes upon you."

"Don't lie to me, Marik," Malik said, looking away. "You hated me. And I hated you, too. You're first word's to me were 'first time I had a stalker get the look right.' I was nothing to you. I'll never be anything to anyone."

Marik slipped a hand up Malik's shirt, brushing it over a soft nipple. A light gasp slipped through the smaller of the two's lips. "What are you doing?" "Shh. Hush now, Malik. Just hear me out, okay? I promise that I'll make it worth your time."

"Get away from me, Marik. I'll call the feds on you if you don't back off." Marik pressed his lips against the area just beneath Malik's ear. "I don't want to back off. I want to be near you. To be touching you. You set me on fire, Malik. You make me alive."

Malik was breathing in little gasps, Marik sending sensations through him like he'd never felt before. "Un, god.... All right, all right. I'll hear you out. Just stop it, already." Marik grudgingly pulled away from the velveteen skin.

"Good. But not here. Let me take you to someplace where we can talk." Malik gulped. "If you say 'a hotel room', it's grounds for your castration." Marik gave him an odd look, then started laughing, heartily. "I promise, no hotel rooms."

Malik smiled, softly. "Great. Now if I can just find my damn keys, we'll go." Marik dug into the inside pocket of his letterman jacket. "You mean these?" he asked, pulling out… Malik's keys!

"You thief! When did you grab these?" "You dropped them on your way out. I figured that I would find out which vehicle they went with and total it, but I suppose I could return them. On one condition." "What's that?"

Marik leaned right down into Malik's face. "Kiss me." Malik froze and responded coldly. "I'm sorry, I just hallucinated." "Oh, I doubt you did. Kiss me, Little Lotus. Or you'll never see them again."

"Marik, that's blackmail! No fair!" Marik placed a hand upon Malik's butt and pulled him close, their crotches rubbing together. "No one ever said life was going to be fair, my desert flower." "Marik, stop it—hrmph!"

Marik had placed an abrupt stop on Malik's protests, using the smaller's already parted lips to his advantage, pressing a firm kiss upon them. Malik whimpered, slightly, hands moving up to push Marik off of him. Yet, instead, he grabbed the taller boy's shirt, taking their kiss deeper.

Marik slid one arm around Malik's side, hugging him, lightly, and broke the kiss softly and slowly. "My little flower." "Marik...that was a mistake," Malik said, firmly, turning away from Marik. "You seemed to think it was an enjoyable _mistake_."

"Can you just give me my damn keys?" Malik asked, weakly. Marik smiled softly and handed them over. "Remember... you promised to go somewhere with me." "I know...." "I know of a great smoothie shop in the mall. If you want to go there."

Malik frowned. "My ex-girlfriend is a waitress there... not a good idea." Marik winced. "Evil ex's. Can't fight them." "She's not evil. She just hates... you know, 'your kind'."

Marik cocked his head. "What's 'my kind'?" "Well... God, you know what I meant." "No, I don't. Enlighten me. What do you see as being 'my kind'?" Malik blushed and answered softly. "Jocks, preps, people like that."

"I just love the way you _classify_ people," Marik scoffed. "After years of 'you stupid outcast', what do you expect me to be like? You were the ones to separate us into groups, first. We just returned the favor."

Marik looked at him softly. "I... I'm sorry. I guess I didn't know. Or didn't realize. How much it hurt." Malik didn't respond to that. "I know a place we can grab a shake or something." Malik climbed on his bike and gave Marik a sad look over his shoulder.

"Well, get on."

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Ryou sat in the cool, hard chair in Rage Beat's lounge, head in his hands, sobbing. Bakura stood behind him, warily, not sure whether it would be appropriate to try and quiet his fellow albino's sobs at the moment.

"Hey, come on, Bunny. If he left you that easy, he couldn't have been much of a prize, anyway," he offered in comfort, ignoring the icy glare that Ryou sent him. "Oh, be silent! This is partially your fault as it is!"

"My fault? How is this my fault?" "You kissed me! When you knew that I was going out with Malik!" Bakura snarled. "Well excuse me if I missed the memo. Besides, you know that you were flirting with me first."

Ryou looked scandalous. "I most certainly did not!" "Oh, sure you didn't." Bakura lifted Ryou's chin to get a look at the bruise forming where Malik had hit him. "He popped your butt good, Bunny."

"Oh, just leave me alone." Bakura instead picked Ryou up and into his lap. "Do you want me to tell you why I kissed you? It's because I'm absolutely infatuated. Your voice, your beauty, everything about you just sets me on fire. I want you, Ryou. I want you to be mine."

Ryou tried to pull out of Bakura's arms. "E-excuse me?" "You heard me. I want you. And come hell or high water. You. Will. Be. **Mine!**" Bakura growled into Ryou's neck, tightening his hold on him.

The smaller quivered in Bakura's lap, looking like... well, a bunny. Bakura chuckled. "Imagery a little too strong for you?" "J-just a bit," Ryou stuttered out, shaking. "Well, I guess I've said all that I wanted to. Besides, I think you more than hate me at the moment."

When Bakura made to leave, Ryou grabbed his arm. "Stay...." The taller looked back at him. "Why? We both know that it won't do any good for me to stay with both of us worked up from tonight."

"I don't want to be alone...." Bakura pressed a kiss onto Ryou's forehead. "You won't have to be. What do you want me to do?" "Stay with me. Please don't leave me all alone."

Bakura sat down again and simply looked at Ryou. Seeming to notice him. Just staring off into space in Ryou's general direction. "What is it?" "Did you know that about 80 of teenagers think that they have found their soul-mates before age 16?"

Ryou tilted his head. "No. Really? That's a lot of people." "Mm. And most of those relationships end in less than a year." "Wow. ...Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because. Usually, when someone feels that way, he or she and the person were friends beforehand. Didn't you feel that you and Malik were _destined_ to be together?" Ryou blushed. "I guess. I mean, we were always close, so I suppose I might have felt that way."

"Were you right?" Ryou scoffed. "Obviously not. But I never thought that he would get so mad. Wouldn't even let me explain...." Bakura rolled his eyes. 'Malik this, Malik that. God, this kid needs fucking therapy!'

"Are you listening to me?" "No, not really," Bakura answered, cruelly. Ryou huffed and pouted. "You _asked _for my opinion, you know." "I changed my mind, so shut up." "Why you bloody ingrate!"

"Hey, hey, hey! What's going on in here?" Yami asked, poking his head in the doorway. "Fuck of, Yami. We're just having a conversation, is all." The more be-spiked boy gave him a knowing look as if though saying 'how long were you planning to keep it that way?'

Yugi peeked around the elder and cocked his head, curiously. "Hey, Ryou. Why did Malik leave?" "You saw him? Where?" Ryou asked, hurriedly. "He was in the parking lot getting on his bike with that Marik guy."

The room froze. "He...left with...Marik? Oh God." Ryou and Yugi exchanged a look. "What? What is it?" Yami asked, wondering as to what would cause that reaction. "Malik sees that bike as a Goddess. If he let someone else on it...it means that he doesn't even care anymore." Ryou sobbed, lightly.

"Ryou was the only person he ever let ride it because 'she's picky'. By letting Marik on, he threw the gauntlet, saying 'you've been replaced'." "Do you have to put it so bluntly?" Ryou whined. Yugi muttered an apology.

"So...what, Malik has..._accepted_ Marik, or something? Like, now he likes him?" Bakura asked, cluelessly. "Mmhmm." Yugi crawled into Ryou's lap as Bakura thought to himself, 'way to score, Mar! Well, at least part of the plan is going as we wanted. Now all I have to do is get Ryou over your new toy.'

"That's low. And you two just broke up, too," Bakura said, voice full of fake sympathy. "Oh, like you care. Anyway, I'm sure that Malik and I are still friends. I mean, we've been friends forever. I don't think some un-working relationship could mess that up for us."

Yami and Bakura exchanged looks and the more spiky-haired of the two shrugged. "I guess you know him best. But a word of advice: don't get your hopes up too high." A glossy, pink lip was snared between two rows of pearly, white teeth as Ryou nibbled on his bottom lip, softly.

"I guess you're right...."

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A sleek, black limo drove through the streets of Domino City. The person inside was obviously late, for the car was going very, _very,_ fast. Seto Kaiba sat in the back section of the limo, clicking away at his laptop.

"Can't you go any faster?" he asked into the speaker, talking to his driver, Ron. "I'm sorry, Sir. The traffic is very bad right now." "Well, we wouldn't be having this problem if we were _on time_, would we, Ronald?" "No Sir, Mr. Kaiba."

The only sound that penetrated the silence was the clicking of the keys. For you see, Seto Kaiba was a very rich, very important man. He alone was in control of the company that owned half of the city.

So for him, being late was not an option. Ever. "Stupid teacher. Making me stay late because I'm not 'participating constructively' in the classroom." His grumbling and muttering was cut short by a loud honk of the horn.

"What is going on up there?" he screamed into the speakerphone. "I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba. It seems that there has been an accident. Traffic has come to a dead halt." Seto punched the seat. "You have to be fucking kidding me!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba. It looks like we're going to be even more late than we thought." 'Perfect. Just absolutely perfect.' "I'll handle this myself." The tall brunet opened the door and stepped out of the limo.

True to report, traffic was at a standstill. More people than him were stepping out of their cars. "What is going on? Why has traffic stopped?" Kaiba demanded of another person on the street.

"Well, from what I can gather, some kid ran out into the street and caused a wreck." 'Oh, wonderful.' True to the Kaiba 'tude, Seto walked haughtily up to the front of the traffic jam.

Up towards the blockade's beginning, it appeared that a fight was breaking out. "Why don't you avoid running into the road next time, you bone head!" "We' I wouldn' a been out in da street if dat jerk ova dere 'adn't pushed me!"

Seto stepped into the crowd that gathered around the fighting pair before the group around him all fell back as one of them had been shoved into the crowd. As the fallen one fell into his arms, Seto didn't even bother to catch him.

When he looked down to see exactly who was on the floor, he couldn't really say that he regretted that decision.

"I know dogs belong at their master's feet, but this is ridiculous." "Oh, shu' up, Kaiba, an' 'elp me up." "No, I don't think I will. After all, why should I take orders from an animal?"

The blonde splayed across the road before him growled before getting up. "Shut up, Kaiba! You 'ave no righ' ta be talkin to anyone like tha!" Seto sneered. "With that accent, you have no right to be talking at all, Wheeler."

Joey Wheeler made a move to flatten Kaiba's face, but was stopped by the man that had shoved him in the first place. "I'm not through talking to you yet, you useless kid! What did you think that you were trying to pull? You might not have anywhere to be, but the rest of the world does!"

He took a swing at Joey's face, pretending to forget that Joey was at least 10 years his junior. The Brooklyn blonde thought to himself. Which was a bigger threat; this attacking fool, or turning his back on Kaiba.

Kaiba answered his question for him. He stepped past him and grabbed the man's arm as it neared Joey's face. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's," he threw the man back into the crowd, "_impolite _to interrupt?"

The man blinked, shaking his head, trying to clear it, when Seto leaned down into his face. "If you have somewhere to be, I suggest you go there. I wonder just what the current punishment is for attempting to strike a minor, don't you?"

A shudder raked the elder's form before he glared at the brunet. "Fine. But if I see him in the streets again, there is no saying that he'll be safe!" "I don't _care_! Move it!"

Joey blushed at the idea that his sworn enemy was standing up for him and decided to get rid of the crowd gathered around. "Wha are you freaks starin a? Da show's over!" Slowly but surly, the crowd began to dissipate.

"I didn't need your help, Kaiba. I can take care of myself," he said to the taller teen once the general crowd had left them alone. Kaiba ignored what had been said to him and started a whole new conversation at a hat's drop.

"Do you get some kind of sick thrill from making people hate you, or are you just lucky that way?" Seto straightened out his wife-beater and fiddled with the collar of his ever-gravity-resistant trench coat.

"Wha?! Kaiba, you jerk! The only person dat 'ates me 'round here is you, and I ain't so fond'a you, eitha'!" "Is there some kind of book to translate that horrible accent? You're in Japan, learn to talk like it!" "I'll talk howeva' the hell I please, and no stuffed shirt like you's gonna' stop me!"

Seto just rolled his brilliantly blue eyes. "Get in the car." _'What am I thinking? I'm not really going to help this fool dog, am I?' _"I'm not goin' no where wit'chu!" "I wasn't kidding, dog. Get in the frickin' car!" _'Since when have I been so crass?'_

Joey thought about this. On one hand, this was Kaiba. _Kaiba!_ The guy that went out of his way to make Joey's life a living hell! On the other hand, how many other choices did he have? Would he really be able to go back to that apartment and watch his father drink himself into a monster once again?

"All righ'. I'll get in da car, but chu better not pull any funny stuff." He got into the limo through the door held open by Seto's butler/driver/person-thing. "I wouldn't waste my time to 'pull any funny stuff' on a useless frivolity as yourself."

Joey sulked, both from the rudeness of the words, and the fact that he had no idea what that 'frivolity' word meant, anyway. It was so much worse to have a name called of you when you didn't even know what it means.

"Where are you headed dog? Kennel? Pound, maybe?" Joey glared. "I am _not_ a dog!" he growled, with a very dog-like expression upon his face. "Whatever." An uncomfortable silence filled the automobile.

"Could ya drop meh off at da Kame Game Store? Dat's where I nee' ta go." Seto nodded, thoughtlessly, and repeated the location into the speaker, receiving a crisp "yes, Sir," in response.

After a few minutes, the endless clicking of the keys of a laptop was once again all throughout the limo. Every time that Seto would pause without warning then start up again with more ferocity, Joey would shift in his seat. Finally, an over-exaggerated sigh was heard as Kaiba put his computer away.

"Why a game store? Planning to make yourself an even bigger laughing stock by learning a few card tricks? Or do you hustle for money in the slums?" "Don' gimme tha tone like you're betta than I am because you livin in your own little fantacy world. Anyway, it ain't your business where I choose ta go."

Seto shrugged. "Curiosity killed the cat. Satisfaction brought him back." The blonde's nose crinkled at the cutesy rhyme that just did _not_ suit a man like Kaiba. "Muh friend's family runs da place, not like you care."

"Mmm, actually I do. I like games. They're very good for relieving stress. Perhaps there could be something of interest in this 'game shop' you speak of." "Mr. Kaiba," the voice crackled over the speakers, "we are already very, very late for the meeting at Kaiba Corporation. Are you certain that we have time for a detour?"

Kaiba glared at the source of the voice, knowing that his icy gaze went unseen by the one it was meant for. "My little brother is there, and he can handle those useless windbags just as well as I can." There was a crackle that Joey accepted as being the driver sighing into the phone.

"Yes, Sir, Master Kaiba." Seto nodded curtly at the speaker as if to say 'so there!' Joey stared out the tinted window of the speeding limo. _'Aw, hell, wha did I get muhself inta?'_

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**Yawns** Okay, this only took about...4 times as long as I expected it would. I'm sorry this chapter is so short. Really, I can't believe I made the last one so long! But somewhere between this one and the last one is my limit. Problem? Deal with it!

Anyway, I hope you guys like this!


	3. Sweet Interlude To Love

Note: God... I just realized how many unfinished stories I have. And yet here I am starting more of them! Pht, you guys must hate me. I know I can't stand when people do that... damn, I'm a hypocrite.

Disclaimer: I own hardly anything that is used in this story. Sorry.

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"So," Yami started, awkwardly, "is your life always so... dramatic?" Yugi blushed. "Not really. I guess they're just... having some little bumps in their relationship." "So early? That says something for them..."

Yugi whimpered and dug his chin into his chest. "I suppose. I really hope those two end up okay, though. I know Malik would make Ryou really happy, and Ryou will make Malik happy, too."

'Good God, someone needs to beam this kid a clue,' Yami thought to himself, knowing it was mean but not liking the others... naïvity. "If you want my opinion, Marik would click better with Malik than Bunny-Butt." Yugi blushed. "Really? Marik seems a little... mean for Malik."

Yami gave him a light glare with his crimson eyes. "Marik isn't mean. He's just a little bold. Nothing _bad_. Hell, your friend might like that!"

"He's really mean to Malik, sometimes. I don't think Malik likes him." The taller spiky laughed. "Oh, I doubt that. You are far too innocent, little one. Malik _likes_ that Marik is mean to him. Not like he'd ever admit it. But Marik's being mean to him is like... the equivalent of a guy and chick groping."

"Wow!" Yugi gasped. "That can't be right!" Yami only laughed. "You're too sweet. God, I bet you don't even think Bakura and Ryou would be good together!" Yugi chuckled into his chest. "They wouldn't. Bakura is mean, too."

"I'm their friend. Am I mean?" Yami asked, hoping Yugi wouldn't say yes. "No! You're a lot nicer than everyone says!"

Yami looked over at him. "People say I'm mean?" 'Oops.' "Um... a little, I guess... They say you're... a play-boy, kinda'."

"Hmph! Go figure. And I haven't even had a girlfriend!" "You haven't?" Yami blushed. 'Did I say that out loud?' "Um, nope. Never had the time. School, sports, and all..."

"Color me shocked." Yami puffed up. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you always have girls around you. I just thought you might be going out with some of them." Yami chuckled, turning onto Yugi's street. "Kame Game Store, right?" "Mmhmm. Ah, Motou-san? Why don't you go out with any of those girls? I know lots of them like you..."

"Really?" "Like that cheerleader... Mazaki. She only hangs out with Bakura to be close to you. Every one knows it." "I didn't." Yugi glued his eyes to the floor. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything."

Yami reached out an arm and placed it over Yugi's shoulders. "So cute." "Yami?" The jockish one chuckled. "Or maybe I've never had a girlfriend... because I prefer little boys."

Yugi felt the wall next to the door of his grandfather's game shop press against his back. "Y-Yami-san!" "Shh. Allow me to kiss my pretty girl goodnight?"

The smaller pushed against the other's chest, trying to get him away. "Yami-san, no!" "Mm, as you wish then. I'll back off. But... you owe me." Yami lifted Yugi's chin and pressed his lips against Yugi's neck.

"Yugi? What are you doing out here?" "Grandfather!" Yugi shoved Yami, roughly, getting the other away from him. "Mr. Motoh. Uh, hi. We weren't... doing anything, you see..." "I don't know who you are, but you had best leave now."

"Yes, sir... Bye, Yugi." Yami trudged off, not looking back to meet the glare of the chibi's grandfather.

"Yugi, what were you doing with that boy?" Solomon asked, grabbing his grandson lightly by the wrist. "We really weren't doing anything, Grandpa. Yami was just leaving, that's all."

"Yami? That boy that is always being mean to you?" the elder asked, sharply. Oh, he knew of poor Yugi's troubles at school. But the fact remained; the child would always be scrawny. Yugi had to put up with so much during the day, Solomon would not have people coming around to bother him at home.

Yugi blushed. "He isn't mean. Really. It's just his friends..." "Oh?" "Yeah... but maybe they aren't so mean, either..."

"What makes you say that, Yugi?" The boy blushed. "Well... see, Ryou and Malik started dating last night, but tonight they broke up and Marik went off with Malik and Bakura was flirting with Ryou, and... Yami says they aren't so bad."

Solomon sighed. "Well, I'm not going to lecture you, Yugi. I think you're responsible enough to know who you trust, but do be careful, child. I don't want you getting hurt by this boy."

"I won't, Grandpa, I promise." "Good boy."

The two hugged on the Kame Game Shop's front porch until they heard a car pulling up to the sidewalk. "Yug! Hey, man!" "Joey!"

The Brooklyn blonde stepped out of a long, black limo, standing to his full height, twice Yugi's own. He grudgingly turned back to the person in the car. "Danks for da ride... you sayin' o' goin'?" "I'm getting out, dog. Once you move your paws."

Yugi flushed, hearing the voice he hadn't heard in months and still recalled. "Seto? Seto Kaiba?" The billion-dollar brunette head poked out beside Joey. "Motoh? You own this game shop?" "My grandfather does! Wow, it's been a long time!"

"Wai' a minute, you two know each otha'?" Seto stepped out of the limo, stretching. "Yes. Yugi was my main competitor at a gaming competition last summer." "How do you know Joey, Seto?"

Joey actually laughed at that. "We', I wa' foolin' 'round in da parkin' lot with Tris and Tog when dey dared me to key a car. His car." "You still owe me that money, doggie."

"I told ya', I dun' have it ye'!" Seto held up a hand to halt Joey's comments. "Don't care. Anyway, Yugi, while I was playing taxi to your pet, I decided to check out the game shop he was headed to. You still open?"

"Twenty-four/seven!" Yugi said with a smile. "Wonderful. Maybe now I can get some worthy cards." "Cards?" Joey asked, turning to face his friend and enemy.

"Yeah. It's a card game that Kaiba and I play. It's really complicated at first, but it's easy once you know what you're doing." Seto chuckled darkly. "Like a dog could ever play a man's game."

Solomon chuckled, walking back out with a few packs of cards. "If I remember correctly, Mai Kujaku is one of the best players around with her aromatics." "Too true," Seto said with a tut, picking up the packs as if trying to judge their hidden insides.

Joey plucked a pack from his hand. "Are da cards in hea?" "No, dog, they're in your shoe. Yes, they're in there!" "Do you want some, Joey?" Yugi asked his friend, curiously.

"Yeah, sure! Oh, but I dun have 'ny money. Sorry." The little chibi laughed at his friend. "Go ahead, Joey. On the house. After all, you're my friend, so you can take some!"

"Really! Danks, Yug!" "Do you even know how to play the game?" Seto asked, rudely. "No, I dunt. But you and Yug can teach meh!" "Like I have nothing better to do than teach an old dog new tricks..."

"Come on, Seto. We can compare ideals while we teach Joey." Seto paused. "Well, that is a good idea. Fine. Elder, can we use the shop or do we need to bunk down on the cement?"

Solomon got a thoughtful look. "No, all of you come on in."

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"So," Marik started awkwardly, sitting at a picnic table licking at a raspberry cone. Malik didn't even look up from staring at his melting vanilla. "What is it?" "Are we just going to sit here all night, or are we actually going to talk?"

"You're the one who wanted to talk. Not me." Marik sighed, wrapping his ice cream in a napkin then setting it in a hole in the table. He walked up behind his look-alike and wrapped his arms around him.

"Very, very cold, Little Lotus. Why, some people would be out of themselves sick if I looked their ways!" Malik glared at him, cooly. "Do you mind? I just broke up with my boyfriend, got groped by the world's biggest pervert, and you aren't helping!"

Marik looked as if though Malik had smacked him. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Guess I'm a being a bit of an asshole." "You think?" "Pht. Anyway, I just wanted to spend some time with you. After all," Marik pressed close to Malik, "you're very, very cute."

"Wow, that's the second most narcissistic thing I've ever heard said." "Thanks, I try." Marik took the shell of Malik's ear into his mouth, tugging on the earring with his teeth. "Anyway, I think it's about time you heard me out."

"Must I?" "Yep. Malik... Little Lotus Flower, you have no idea... how much I love you. So very much... And knowing that I can't date down to have you. It totally sucks."

Lavender eyes averted from their twins as Malik looked away. "Marik, why are you doing this to me? I'm vulnerable from breaking up with Ryou right now, I know that. But I never pegged you as the type to use that to take advantage of me."

"I'm not trying to do that, I'm really not. I want you... I want you a lot. The problem is going to be getting you. You don't want me to have you, _they_ don't want me to have you. Damn it!"

Malik raised his hands just slightly, knowing Marik was well-known for getting violent when he was angry, stressed... sad, happy, stoic...

A tanned hand reached out and pulled Malik close, forcing him into Marik's lap. "I don't care what they think. You're so beautiful. I have to have you. And I could give you so much, too."

"You think I want popularity? Please. I couldn't care less about fitting in." "Malik... please give me a chance. Go out with me... for a week! Just a week! After that, you can decide whether or not to keep going out with me."

"That would be a wasted week out of my life. I would never go out with you!" Every eye in the area turned to face them, figuring there would be a scene. "Malik..." "But! I _will_ agree to go out with you, _for one week only_, and after than, we'll break up."

"You sound so certain." "I am," Malik said, flippantly, leaning up to place a chaste kiss on his new boyfriend's lips. "School will be hell if anyone finds out, though." Marik laughed. "Let me take care of _them_."

Having achieved exactly what he wanted the night to yield, Marik wanted to get Malik home before the littler got the chance to change his mind.

"Come on. It's getting rather late. I probably shouldn't have you out much longer." "Excuse me, but we took _my_ bike. I'll head home and see you in the morning."

"Well what kind of boyfriend would I be if I did that?" Marik teased. "You don't live too far away from me. I can take you home then walk the rest of the way." "...How do you know where I live?"

"Uh... I plead the 5th. Anyway, let's go. Mom is probably going to murder me for being out so late." Malik looked up at this, giving Marik an appraising look. "Doubt that. Come on."

The two were silent on the whole ride home, their only contact being Malik pressed up against Marik, intimately. Every time they came across a red light or a stop sign, Marik would reach down and entwine one of the hands rested on his stomach with his own.

Finally pulling on to Malik's street, the bike slowed to the stop in his drive. "So... am I picking you up tomorrow morning?" "...Do you want to?" Marik nodded against Malik's neck. "Yeah, I do want to. And then we'll have tomorrow's school to look forward to..."

"Don't remind me." Marik leaned Malik back against the streetlight and slid his hand up into Malik's shirt, lolling his tongue about Malik's ear. "Night night, baby." Malik blushed. "Goodnight, Marik."

Looking back, cheeks pink, Malik softly padded up to his door and opened the door, slipping inside. However, he paused in closing the door and mouthed, "goodnight... Mari."

Marik stood outside a second longer, pulling his cape a little tighter to block the chilly night air on his bare arms. As he walked off, though, he turned his head sharply and let a sad look cross his face at the muffled sounds of yelling and flesh meeting flesh coming from his new boyfriend's house.

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Ryou sat dejectedly on the edge of the back of the U-haul. His notebook was open across his lap as he wrote with vigor. Kamoru wrapped an arm around him from behind. "So... the other albino boy told me what happened. Sorry, Bunny-butt. That must suck."

"Very much. I'm really not feeling all that sociable right now." Kamoru ignored him, shaking his head and letting the metal charms in his hair jingle. "Calm down, Fuzzy. No point hiding it from Kam-Kam."

The white-haired teen lightly flipped his hair over his shoulder. "I don't really want to talk about it... It wasn't really my fault, you know?" He sank his teeth into his eraser, trying not to think about what had happened between himself and Malik.

Trying not to think about how Malik had immediately replaced him with Marik.

"It wouldn't hurt so bad if he hadn't found someone else right away. Until that point, I was the only person besides him that was ever allowed on his bike. It just feels wrong that Malik would let Marik after having fought forever.

"Kamoru, do you think that he might have loved him... before we even ended up together?" "I dunno. He might have. Maybe he did and didn't know it?"

"How can you not know you love someone?" Ryou asked with a scoff. "Ryou! Bunny! C'mon, damn it! I'm trying to talk to you!"

"Oh, that almost makes me feel so bad about ignoring you," Ryou told him blandly. Bakura glared at him. "Little bitch. Who was it that, less than an hour ago, asked me not to leave him alone?"

"Yami?" "Don't get cute with me!" "I can't help it," Ryou stated easily, "I'm just naturally that adorable. Didn't you know?"

"Of course I did. Why do you think I planted one on you? I want you to be mine." "Why bother? I'm not popular like all of your friends. Would you really want to be seen with me? You probably had to _murder_ to get where you stand. But even the top can be taken down by an underside revolution."

"How political," Bakura said, crinkling his nose. "It makes since. If everyone below you doesn't want you to be popular anymore, they just have to not be around you. Suddenly, no more popularity."

Bakura huffed, crossing his arms, angrily. "Whatever. Anyway, at best, it could make _you_ more... socially influential. That wouldn't be a bad thing." "To who? I would loose myself if I gained anything like what you have."

"You don't like me, do you?" Ryou looked at him softly. "I like you. Too much. I'm not willing to put my own self on the line for you, either. So many of your fan girls would try and kill me for '_turning you gay_'."

"Turning me gay? I'm not gay!" "You like me. A guy! What does this tell us?" "That you need to gain some testosterone?"

Ryou stomped off, pissed at that last statement. "Oi, wait up, dang it!"

Kamoru watched all of this with a laugh. "'How can you not know you love someone?' Look at yourself, Bunny. Don't act so surprised when you end up in love with Bakura."

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"I dun get it," Joey complained, placing his hand over his deck in surrender. Seto sighed, slightly annoyed. "Look," he reached over and drew a card from Joey's deck.

"Here we have a monster card. If your card's power is better than the other monsters, then you win. Okay?"

"What's it's powa?" "It'll say on the bottom of the card," Yugi chirped. "What's the strongest monster you have?" "Um..." Joey started flipping through his cards, "probably Red-Eyes Black Dragon."

"Cut the deck and draw it from the top," Seto challenged. "Wha?" "I can draw my Blue-Eyes," he stated easily, slicing the deck in half and pulling it off the top.

"'Ow do ya do dat?" "It's a sign of mastery we use to show off and intimidate our opponents. The masters, that is, players with at least five prized cards, are expected to be able to do this."

"Oh man!" Yugi laughed. "Don't worry, Joey. You haven't even had a duel, yet. Don't try to walk before you can crawl." The blonde frowned. "I guess. Heh, if I practice with combos at home, do you think I could get better?"

"Well, you're not going to get that way by doing nothing. Anything can help, very little can hurt." "Wow, dat was almos' philosophical."

"I can't believe you know that word." "I dun. Was jus quotin Bunny." "Who?" "My friend, Ryou," Yugi piped up. "He's really smart and talks like a college student."

"Oh... I really should swing by this school of yours someday." "I dink you'd stick ou' a bit." Seto nodded. "Duh."

"Well," Yugi cut in before a fight could start, "it's kind of late, and I'm getting pretty tired. Would you be insulted if we decided to boot you two out?" "No' at all," Joey told his pal. "We'll ge' outa' your 'air. G'nigh', Yug!" "Sleep well."

Seto and Joey both walked out of Yugi's house. "Does the puppy want a ride home?" Seto asked, holding the door of his limo open. "I mean, we wouldn't want the pound to catch you."

'Close save,' Seto thought to himself with a breath, hoping that Joey had missed the hopeful tone in his voice when he had asked to give the blonde a ride home. What would anyone, _anyone_, think to find out that Seto Kaiba liked some street-trash teen?

"No danks. I'd ratha walk da who' way home dan listen to you call me a dog ana longa." "Your loss," Seto said with a light shrug, climbing into the limo. However, before closing the door, he tossed an umbrella out towards Joey.

"It's supposed to rain a bit. We wouldn't want you to smell like wet dog." Even though Joey shook his fist after the car that pulled away, he smiled at the umbrella and griped it, tightly. "I' jus' give dis back to 'im, lata."

Joey started walking down the street, knowing that it would take a good long walk before he'd be home, again. And that was how he liked it. Long walks always seemed to make everything better.

'Seto... damn, 'm so in love wit im,' Joey thought to himself, sadly. 'Why's'it my cursed luck to fall in love wit da one guy dat can' stan' me?' A drop of water found itself landed upon Joey's head.

"Oh, grea, now it's rainin. Wonderfu'." He opened up the navy-blue umbrella of Seto's and blocked any further water to come. "Didn' Ryou once say dat rain is like da sky cry'n? Wat do you have ta cry 'bout?" he asked the dark gray clouds.

But they didn't answer.

Joey sighed and walked the seven miles to his run-down apartment in silence, listening to the rain on the umbrella and the occasional car rushing by. When he got back to his place, he opened the door, quietly, shaking out the umbrella before bringing it inside.

"I'm home," he stated simply, not even sure if his old man was still conscious. **Crash!** A bottle flew towards him and shattered against the wall to his left. "Where in the hell have you been, you no good bastard?"

Joey glared at the back of his father's chair. "Out." The drunken male glared over his shoulder at Joey. "Don't you be cute with me, boy, I'm your father!"

"And wha a wandaful one ya are," Joey grumbled, ignoring the shouts that followed him and locking himself in his room.


	4. Found You Out

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Too bad, so sad.

Okay, because of all the reviews that mentioned that Joey's accent is hard to read, I'll see what I can do to cut back on most of it... I have to admit it's hard to find a happy medium with that guy...

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Yugi woke up the next morning feeling very sluggish and drowsy. 'Uh... my poor head.' He was very tempted to tell his grandfather that he didn't want to go to school at all, but that just wouldn't do. His grandfather was very big on education.

"Yugi! Are you still asleep?" "No, Grandpa." Sighing, he sat up and put a hand on his head to steady the spinning of the room. He resolved himself to stand and worked at getting himself dressed for school.

For as early in the morning as it was, it was odd to hear the bell above the downstairs shop jingle happily. Muffled voices flowed up to the second floor as Yugi finished dressing to head down.

" – so I thought it would be okay, is all." The chibi teen tilted his head. "Yami-san?" The more spiky-haired of the two turned and looked at his mini-me. "Good morning, Yugi. I just stopped by to see if you wanted to join me on my walk to school."

Solomon glared disapprovingly at the popular boy from behind his back. "Yugi hasn't had his breakfast yet, so I'm afraid it would be best for you to go." "Grandpa," Yugi berated, "I can just grab a piece of toast and be gone. Will you wait just a second for me, Yami-san?"

"I shall." "Great. Be right back!" Yami leaned against the counter, preparing to wait for the boy. "You don't like me, do you?" he asked Solomon. "No, I don't." Yami shrugged. "If it makes you feel any better, I don't beat up on kids like Yugi."

"Oh?" "Well, yeah. Only people with low self-esteem do junk like that." "From what I hear, that is one problem you don't have. But you could hurt Yugi from where you stand, socially, too."

"Don't worry, elder. I won't." Solomon was about to reply when his little grandson bounced into the room with a granola bar clamped in between his teeth. "I'm ready to go, Yami-san!"

Yami took Yugi's hand in his own. "Wonderful. Let's go." "Okay. Bye, Grandpa!" The door to the game store banged closed with a slam.

"So... your grandfather seems... protective." Yugi flushed. "He wasn't mean to you, was he?" Yami reassured him by rubbing his thumb over the back of Yugi's hand. "No worries."

The smaller blushed at the intimate touch. "Yami-san... can I ask: why did you kiss me last night?" "Because you were just so tempting," he was told, Yami not even twitching as he said so.

"I see... do you like me, Yami?" The other stopped. "Wow, talk about a loaded question. Honestly, I don't know. I think I might. ...Do I have to know _right_ now?"

"No," Yugi told him with a smile. "I was just wondering." "Tell you what," Yami cut in, "I'll think about it. Really think about it, and... if I do, ask you out on Saturday?"

Yugi grinned and blushed. "I'd like that."

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Ryou sat on the steps of the school building with his composition notebook spread across his lap, humming the notes he was writing on the page perfectly in pitch. Trying to write up music was, in Ryou's opinion, the easiest part of his job.

Now being a lyricist, _that_ was work. It seemed that inspiration was always just on the other side of the glass. "Aw, wook at the wittle baby. Sing, princess, sing." Ryou looked up. "Good morning, Ushio."

**Bang!** The bunny-like boy let out a yelp as he was splayed across the stairwell. "W-what did I do?" "I'm going to get you back for what those freaks did to me and my guys this weekend. Oh and look," he said, fake-sweet, "there's no one around to save you, now."

Ushio's henchman, Rotunda, stepped on Ryou's back, pressing him to the concrete of the steps. The sound of the cracking of ribs echoed in the albino's ears. "Rotunda, please! Please, stop!"

The leader of the bully pack started rooting through Ryou's backpack, tossing anything he didn't dub useful over his shoulder. He paused, however, when he found the five dollars lunch money Ryou had brought to cover his meal for the day.

"Hey, thanks for the meal, Kitten! Okay, boys, that's... close to enough." Rotunda kicked the white-haired teen in the side and stepped back. "Now it's enough. See you tomorrow!"

Ryou lied on the stairs, sobbing quietly, pushing himself up, and ignoring the pain stabbing through his insides. People walked past, paying no attention to the victim of another bully attack on the front stairs of the institution.

He picked up his things from the dirt, sadly, noticing that all of the previous night's homework and his sheet music had been shredded. A loud, revved motor pulled up in front of the school and screeched to a stop.

One black boot stepped into his vision. A tan hand met his on his journal. Ryou didn't even need to look up to see who it was. "Hi... Malik."

"...Good morning, Ryou. I, ah, see you found a ride home last night." "Listen, Malik, I know what you thought it looked like, but-." "Ryou. I... might have been a little harsh last night. I... still am not going out with you... I'm going out... with Marik. But... hell, I don't know. Let's just forget about all of that, eh?"

Ryou blushed. "All right. But, if it matters, I still like you." Malik hugged him, loosely. "I know." "Hey, hey, hey!" Marik cut in. "Now I'm getting jealous, damn it."

"And?" Malik asked, helping Ryou to stand upright. "Mou, you're mean! Meany-butt!" Malik gave him a flat look. "Yeah. Anyway, so... did you end up... y'know, with Bakura?"

"Malik!" The Egyptian rolled on the floor, laughing. When he finally caught his breath, he looked around. "Did you see Marik? He disappeared." Ryou, too, searched for Malik's boyfriend. "Nope. But I see Bakura! Bakura-san!" The white-haired teen in the distance, of course, couldn't hear him.

An evil grin crossed Malik's face. "I dare you to sneak up behind him and pounce on his back." "No way!" Ryou was bright pink at the very idea of _jumping_ on the other teen.

"Do it!" "Okay, okay!" the albino agreed as Malik shoved him along the ground. In all honesty, Ryou was only agreeing because he knew what Malik was doing. By pushing Ryou to be with Bakura, he was saying that he was perfectly okay with Ryou moving on.

Slinking silently along the wall, Ryou overheard his beloved demon in a conversation with someone that sounded suspiciously like Marik.

"So... did you get any?" Marik barked out a laugh. "Are you kidding? I'll be able to apply for sainthood soon!" "Oh, I doubt that," Bakura replied, oily. "What about you? Bunny put out?"

"Please," the taller albino scoffed. "He's giving me nothing!" "Hey, you're the one who wanted him." Ryou moved a little closer to them, starting as a branch crunched under his shoes.

"What was that?" Marik looked from side to side, his head cocked to the side. "It was a fucking squirrel," Bakura told him, irritably.

Marik walked to Bakura's side and wrapped his arms around him, suckling on his ear. "So breaking those two up did nothing for us. How sucky." Ryou clamped a hand over his mouth. 'Breaking them up?'

"Yeah... well, you'll sure help me get over the _pain_ of no sex." "You know I will." Marik's hand slipped inside of Bakura's shirt as the two necked up against the builiding.

"You'd better go kiss Malik's butt a little more. Who knows, he might be a closet whore and is just teasing you." Marik threw his head back in laugh. "That'll be that day. See ya', love!"

Marik ran in the direction of where Ryou was hiding, and the smaller ducked into the shadows, not wanting either to know he'd been eavesdropping. Tears trailed down his cheeks as he thought of the two.

'I can't believe it... Marik and Bakura made Malik and me break up... on purpose? Why would they do something that mean?' Forgoing glomping Bakura to make the older teen happy, he trudged back over to Malik, who was sitting, disgruntled, in Marik's tight grip.

"Heya, Babbit! Sup?" "Why do all of you insist on calling me animals and hybrids!" he asked Marik, angered, but not at the greeting he'd been offered.

Marik blinked, wide-eyed. "Sorry, I didn't know it bothered you." "Ryou, what's wrong with you?" Malik queried, taking the pale hand into his own.

"Oh, nothing. I just found out that those two... two... assholes!" Malik gasped, knowing that Ryou never, _never_, cussed! "Those two assholes broke us up... on purpose!"

Malik turned, sharply, looking into Marik's eyes to seek out whether or not Ryou was telling the truth. Marik looked away. "Marik?" "Well... yeah."

**Smack! **"I... I can't believe you!" The two had every eye around on them as Malik proceeded to beat Marik over the head, heartlessly.

"You stupid, evil... bloody... damnable wretch!" The jockish people pulled Malik off of the one they considered 'one of their own' and easily knocked the wind out of him.

Marik knelt on his knees and tried to make Malik look at him. "Malik, I didn't mean for..." Malik spit at Marik's feet as he wiped a trickle of blood from the side of his mouth.

"Go away, Marik. For good! I can't believe I trusted you!" "Malik, wait!" The Egyptian entwined his fingers with Ryou's, and the two walked off. Ryou looked over his shoulder to see Bakura standing at the edge of all the mayhem.

"Just a second... I need to talk to someone." Malik visibly bit his lip. "Okay. Go give that jerk a piece of your mind." "I will."

Ryou, ignoring the glares of the jocks, walked up to one of their high hierarchy without fear. "Bakura, I have something to say to you." "Do we have to talk about this here?" Ryou looked around and saw all of Bakura's little drones crowded around.

"No, we don't have to. But we _are_ going to talk about this." "Deal." The two walked to the not-so-crowded picnic table area and sat down. "What did you have to say, Ryou?" The albino looked at his shoes.

"I'm really, really upset at this, Bakura. Even though we didn't' get along famously, I was actually starting to like you. And then I found out that you almost ruined my friendship with Malik for your own selfish purposes."

"I never pretended to be more than I am, Ryou. I am what I am, and I chase after what I want. And I wanted you. So?" "Bakura, you can't treat people like that! Do you have any idea how much it hurt me to find out that you were just using me?"

"How would I? After all, no one would dare do such a thing to _me_." "And that makes it okay for you to do something like this to someone else?" Bakura shrugged. "I don't know. Yes?"

Ryou stood up and glared at Bakura, eyes narrowed. "Wrong answer." Bakura reached out to grab the bony wrist, whose owner jerked it out of reach. "Bastard." With that simple statement, their relationship was over and Ryou walked off.

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"I can't believe they did that!" Yugi exclaimed, swinging his legs from atop Malik's desk. "Yeah, you think you're in shock? At least you weren't making out with Marik less that twelve hours ago!"

Most of the class turned to stare at him. "What? What the hell are you little prep-burgers staring at! Screw off!"

"Mr. Ishtal!" Malik gulped and looked at the teacher. "Uh... sorry, ma'am." She glared at him. "Take your _seats_!"

Yugi and Ryou scuttled off to their own chairs, leaving Malik to face the psycho-harpy's glares alone. "What?" "Don't speak to me in such a disrespectful tone, Mr. Ishtal!" Malik rolled his eyes.

"Look, bitch, maybe you missed the memo, but I'm not in the mood to fuck with you today."

All of the students gasped at what Malik had said to a teacher. "That's it, Mr. Ishtal! You have after-school detention for the rest of the week! Now get out of my class!"

"Fine. It's not like I wanted to be in here right now, anyway. I have things to see and people to do. Or screw over. What class is Ishtar in?"

"Malik, don't start anything," Ryou begged him, grabbing his hand to calm him down. "Are you kidding? Starting crap is what I do best! And this time, it's Marik that's going to hit the fan!"

Ryou had no reply to that, so Malik kissed his hand before leaving the room, slamming the door shut behind him. The teacher had nothing to say about this; after all she didn't want Malik in there. Go figure.

Yugi quickly pulled a sheet of paper out of his binder and uncapped his favorite pen. 'You don't think Malik is going to start anything, do you?' He waited for the harpy to turn her head before tossing the note across the isle.

Ryou read what his friend had wrote and caught Yugi's eye, giving a meaningful shrug. 'I don't know. I... almost don't care. Marik would deserve it.' Ryou passed the note back, already regretting his final statement though knowing that he believed what he wrote.

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Malik stomped down the hallway, stopping to kick a locker fiercely. 'I hate that woman. She will be the first I have the aliens probe.' He stopped at a fountain in the hallway, splashing himself with cool water to try and cool his temper.

"Well... at least there was no fight, _this time_. Now all I have to do is occupy myself for the rest of the class period," he said with a grin. Oh _what_ was a troublemaking psychopath to do?

The keys to his motorcycle appeared in his hand as he walked down the hallway, checking locker numbers as he went. "663, 664, 665, ah, here it is!" Locker 666 - rented by Marik Ishtar.

"As if though anyone couldn't tell. Retarded cheer-bitches." At the beginning of the year, in order to show some 'school spirit', the cheerleaders had made up little ribbons for the football team to put on their lockers and pinned little signs to them reading 'Fight the Falcons', 'Pound the Pirates', and the like.

"Here's a new message for that miserable jerk." Scratching the paint off of Marik's locker, Malik tried his own hand at Ryou's talents, writing out a little poem that sure wasn't about happiness, sunshine, and rainbows, but said exactly what Malik felt about the other Egyptian teen.

"Let's see what he thinks about that." He signed his name in pretty cursive writing and leaned against the fountain, checking his watch and counting down the bell. "Four, three, two, and," _bring_ "bingo."

The hallway filled with students as they filed out of their classrooms. A couple of people made wide arcs around the freaky outcast's insane grin while other's followed his gaze and gained a huge smile of their own.

"Less than three minutes to show-time, people. Two bucks for a front row seat. Anyone interested?" Surprisingly enough, a few of the students forked over the cash. The sea of students parted, and Malik smirked to see Marik walking down the hall with some big-chested whore on his arm.

"Maybe I left a little bit out of my message. Well, darn it! Anyone have an extra key?" A couple of the students who... must have seen the earlier argument actually had it in them to laugh.

Marik lowered his gaze as Malik glared at him while he walked past. "Malik." "Ishtar." Ignoring the people snickering for whatever reason, Marik went to toss his books in his locker, only to realize that he was the but of their joke.

"Jocks are the worst, but not all are whores. That job, my dear, is totally yours. But don't think me mean, I'm just out to help. But you're beyond hope, you miserable whelp. So scam on the girls, screw all the boys, after all, you're naught but a toy.

'Love you lots! **_Malik_**.'

Marik glanced at Malik over his shoulder. "You did this?" Malik nodded with pride. "Not half bad, eh? And I did it _all_ on my own. Go me." The smaller Egyptian made the V for victory.

Growling, Marik stormed over to Malik and picked him up by the collar. "How dare you?" "How dare I? How dare _I_? How dare you do something like this to me, you pompous fucker?"

The rabid swarm that followed Marik like helpless puppies was trying to bruise up whatever part of Malik that Marik wasn't blocking with his attack on the teen.

"Back off! Back _off_!" Though pinned as he was, Malik was still a force to be reckoned with. When enough of a breadth was around him, Malik decided to put his own special skills to the test.

Marik fell to the floor with a crash, the entire side of his face bright crimson. Before recovery was even an option, a torrent of blows fell down upon him. "Don't ever think that you can do something like that to _me_!"

Malik made to attack again when the gym teacher grabbed him 'round the waist. "Ishtal! Ishtar! What's going on here?" Malik gulped, trying to writhe away from the very large, muscular man. "Nothing sir, heh. We were just fooling around," Marik told him, pulling his ever-classic preppy-boy kiss-up routine.

However, the teacher was not to be fooled. After all, Marik had only been skipping his class for the last two years. "Were you two fighting? That's against the rules. Ishtar! Ishtal! Come with me!"

"Yes sir," the two mumbled, following behind him. Dragging his feet behind him, Malik waited until the coach turned his back before slugging Marik in the shoulder. "This is all your goddamn fault." "Malik, I didn't" "Shut up!" the teacher grabbed Malik around the wrist and dragged him along behind him.

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"Expelled!" Ryou repeated, listening to Malik's desperate retelling of the earlier events. "Mmhmm. Fuck, Dad's going to kill me when I get home." "I'm sorry, Malik."

"It's all that stupid asshole Marik's fault, too. He had to start the damn fight! All I did was insult him, and he tried to punch my face in." "Well, Malik," Yugi reasoned, "It's not like you thought he wouldn't be mad, or you wouldn't have done it."

Malik would have shot back a reply when Yugi squeaked, Yami having snuck up behind him and hugged him tight. "Hello, Little One." Yugi hesitated to return the attentions, wondering if perhaps Yami had anything to do with Marik and Bakura's sick plan, but neither of his friends so much as twitched, so Yugi assumed Yami was still considered 'safe'.

"Hi, Yami. How has your day been?" "Fine, I suppose. Some jerk was making me nuts in class, but whatever, right?" "Was he being mean to you?" Yami grinned. "I guess it really was my fault, but come on! The guy's a looser."

"That's not nice!" Yugi snapped, whacking Yami on the arm. Malik and Ryou gave Yami cool glances, wondering just how preppy Yugi's latest was. "Whatever," Yami replied with an eye roll, kissing Yugi on the cheek.

"Yug! Oi, Yugi!" A tall, clumsy, lanky blonde came running down the hallway. Yugi smiled at his friend and greeted him with a cheerful, "Haloa, Jou!" "Hey, guys. Are y'all ready to help me play Duel Monsters?" Yugi smiled. "You bet!"

"Fuck! I can't. I'm in big, _big_ trouble with Isis, so I've gotta head home. Hopefully Dad won't murder me," he said with an eye roll, peeking at Yami out of the corner of his eye to make sure the other didn't pick up on the seriousness of that statement.

Joey smiled and proceeded to grab the smaller in a headlock until he saw Yugi's twin standing near by. "You! What, you don't get off enough screwing with me, you have to bug my friends, too, you jackass?" Yami took a step back at the accusations.

"Joey!" "Holy smokes... Yugi, I had no idea he was one of _your_ friends." Yugi looked between the two. "I take it you guys don't like each other?" "He's the looser I was complaining about!" "Yami!"

Malik had to physically stop his fellow blonde from killing the prep. "You'd best learn to be nice to our friends," Yami was warned. Before he could reply to Malik's 'I-hate-you-because-Marik-is-an-asshole' tone, the four friends walked off.

'Dammit. Now Yugi's probably mad at me,' Yami thought to himself, sadly. However, right as Yugi turned the corner, he smiled at Yami and shyly blew him a kiss. 'Then again...'

Yami was smiling to himself, a little stupidly, that Yugi had gotten over his embarrassment to give him a kiss goodbye, even if not directly. He was so lost in his own little world that he didn't even notice when he accidentally walked into Anzu Mazaki.

"Sorry," he apologized, charmingly, realizing that the girl was one of the cheerleaders, and Bakura's friend, **yeah right**. "Oh, it's alright, Yami," she gushed. "Actually, I was looking for you. So it's very lucky for me that we ran into each other!"

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"Oh no!" Yugi exclaimed as the group stood on the front steps, waiting for him. "What's wrong, Yugi?" "I forgot my science book, and I have a test tomorrow. Will you guys wait for me?"

Ryou hugged his friend, loosely. "Of course we will, Yugi. We would not leave you behind." "Thanks. I promise I'll be right back!" Breaking one of the many rules, the one against running in the hallway, Yugi darted down towards his locker hoping to possibly say one last goodbye to Yami on the way.

"...lucky for me that we ran into each other!" Yugi paused at hearing the hyper, rabbit-on-LSD voice of the preppy chick, Anzu. "Really? What did you want to see me for?" 'That's Yami!'

"Oh, I just wanted to talk to you. After all, even though we're both friends with Bakura, we never really get to see each other." "Well, we both tend to be a little busy, what with football, cheerleading, and school."

"It's a shame, really," Anzu said, attempting to purr, sexily. "After all, we're both so popular and attractive... maybe you should be my boyfriend." Yami and Yugi gasped at the same time, so neither knew that Yugi was there.

"I don't think so, Anzu." "Oh, why not? I mean, I really, really like you." Yugi's eyes teared up, hoping beyond all hope that Yami was honest, that he didn't like Anzu and, that Yugi was his only.

"Well, I like you, too, Anzu..." A dry sob passed Yugi's lips as he turned and ran away, not wanting to hear the teen he... loved... hooking up with a ho like Anzu.

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"...too. But I don't like you like _that_." Anzu frowned. "Oh? No one can resist me, Yami. And I promise, you'll be my boyfriend soon enough." Yami glared at her, distastefully. "Sorry, Anzu. But there's already someone I like. I don't think you have a chance."

Yami stalked off, boots clicking on the floor with Anzu glaring at his back. He started his walk to the usual afternoon hangout for himself and his friends. Finally arriving at the arcade, he walked up behind the spiky head of Marik and jerked his shirt up.

"_Yelp!_ Dammit, Yami. If you wanted to see me naked just say so." "Ha ha," he muttered, depressed. "What's wrong, Pharaoh?" Yami clocked Bakura upside the head and sat down at the table. "Your little stalker bitch just asked me out. 'No one can resist me'," he mocked, knowing Bakura would know who he was talking about.

"God I hate Anzu." Bakura muttered. "By the way, did you hear? Marik got himself and that hooker, Malik, suspended."

"Really? No wonder he was glaring at me like I had just kicked a puppy." "Yeah. He and Ryou found out about our, ah, plans. They were a little pissed off." "Were? _A little_? I'm surprised I came out of that a male!" Bakura squeaked, clamping his legs shut.

"So I take it neither of you has a boy-toy? Such a pity." "Oh no," Marik reassured, "Malik agreed to be mine for a week. Thus, his breakup with me was not official or acceptable by our verbal contract."

"Do you think he knows that?" Marik pouted. "I don't know. Should I call him?" "Here's a quarter," Bakura said, throwing the coin at Marik's hair. "Thanks." The Egyptian teen walked over to the payphones and hit '0'. "Operator?"

"Trying to call Malik Ishtal." "Hold, please." Marik hummed to the tune of the hold music until he heard ringing on the other end. After three rings, a woman picked up the phone. "Ishtal residence. Isis speaking."

Marik cocked his head, figuring this was the sister. "Is Malik there?" "Yes he is. But he can't come to the phone right now." "Why not?" he pouted. "Because he got in trouble at school today. Would you like me to give him a message?"

"Yep. Tell him Marik says that he still has six days before the verbal contract is null in void. He'll understand." Isis paused. "Well... I don't know if I'll remember that. ...Five minutes, then Malik has to hang up."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" A few seconds later, Malik picked up the phone. "Hello?" "Malik, it's Marik. ...D-Don't hang up!" "Give me one reason not to!" "Because you're still my boyfriend!"

Malik paused. "Ex_cuse_ me?" "It's true. You agreed to go out with me for a week. Irregardless of anything that happens." "Fuck!" Malik cursed, sharply. Isis berated him in the background.

"No, I don't care what I said! That was when I was under the impression you were only a regular jerk, not a relationship-ruining, back-stabbing son of a bitch on steroids!" Marik bit his lip at the cruelty, then sneered at Malik through the phone.

"Sorry, but you agreed. So I'm going to come over. And you're going to listen to me, and you're going to forgive me, then you're going to be upset and want to find a way to make it up to me, but I'll forgive you because I love you so much."

"Dammit, dammit, dammit! Ow! Isis! That hurt!" Finally, he returned his attention to Marik. "Look... don't come over tonight... Dad will be home, soon. ...Since neither of us has school tomorrow, if you feel you _have_ to, come over then. But don't be surprised if I boot you right back out."

Marik sighed. "Fine. I'll see to tomorrow then. But don't you dare try and wimp out!" "Fuck, Marik, I said I'd listen!" "Okay, okay. See you, then." "...Yeah. Bye..."


	5. Heaven and Hell

Disclaimer: Still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

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Jou walked down the sidewalk, trying to keep out of the light drizzle. 'Damn, I hate spring. Too freakin' wet!' He tried to keep too much rain from falling on his face so that his makeup wouldn't run.

...Yes, tough guy Jou wore makeup. But none of the kohl that Malik donned or lip-gloss that Ryou loved. No, foundation was Jou's savior. After all, the lack of visible bruises was the only thing keeping his father out of jail and Jou from being a ward of the state.

'Gawd, my life sucks monkeys,' he thought to himself, starting to run as the rain fell down harder. 'Caught in the rain multiple days in the past few days. I should'a brought Kaiba's umbrella with me.'

Jou's face melted into a tiny smile at the thought of the cold CEO who was too stuck up the see the world moving beneath him.

'He's such a stubborn pain in the butt,' Jou thought to himself with a smile on his face. 'But I bet he'd never return my feelings. After all, he only thinks of me as a _puppy_ or something.'

**Honk, honk!**

"Well, this is becoming too familiar of a scene, Pup-sickle. Yet another day spent smelling like a wet dog?" Jou blushed, looking over his shoulder to see Kaiba, in his fancy private school uniform talking to the blonde out his window.

"What do ya want, Kaiba?" "To give you a ride to school." "Huh?" Jou stared dumbfounded at the brunette teen trying to make sense of what was said. "I said, get in the car."

"Boy, talk about Déjà vu." "Shut up, Mutt. Get in the car." Jou crossed his arms. "Why should I?" "Because," Kaiba said with a smirk, "your mascara's going to run." "Yipes!"

Jou quickly checked his reflection in the mirror to make sure that none of the foundation on his face had run too badly. Seto actually laughed. "You mean you're really wearing mascara? Christ, Mutt!" "'m not!"

Seto rolled his clear blue eyes and opened the door. "Jou, get in the car. It's no problem for me to take you to school. If you want me to." Jou paused for a moment. Sure, Kaiba was a bit of an asshole, but was it really better to walk in the rain? Hell no.

"Alright. Scoot over." The blonde climbed in the limo and buckled himself in, setting his bag in his lap. Kaiba quirked an eyebrow at the other but soon turned to look in another direction.

'Why can't I stop helping that stupid puppy?' Seto asked himself, peeking over to where Jou was sitting. 'Damn dog... he looks kinda cute sitting there all wet...' "What are ya lookin' at, Kaiba?"

"Nothing," he snapped, turning to angle his body away from his companion. 'Loser dog. I shouldn't even be associating with a moron like him, let alone... what, liking him? Having _feelings_ for him?'

"Christ, Kaiba, I know you're lookin' at somethin' so just tell me what you're lookin' at!" "What do you want me to say, that I'm staring at you?" Jou blushed. "Well, why would you?"

"Maybe I'm wondering why I even stopped to give you a ride. Maybe I can't figure out what makes me want to help you. Maybe I l-... you know what, nevermind." "L? Loathe? Like? Maybe you what, Kaiba?"

"Maybe I like you, okay!" The two stared at each other, startled by Kaiba's revelation. "You what?" "I like you, alright." Jou blushed. "That's a cruel joke, Kaiba! Dun make fun of me like that!"

"Fine, whatever!" Seto huffed and stared out the window, trying to ignore the blonde mutt. However, something brushed the back of his hand before another hand enveloped his own.

"This ain't a joke, is it Kaiba?" "No, it's not." "But why?" Seto turned his hand over to squeeze the other. "I don't know. I kinda wish I did." Jou unbuckled and scooted over to Seto, resting his head on the brunette's shoulder.

"I like ya, too, Kaiba." "Seto," he corrected, wanting the blonde to call him by his name. "Seto?" "Yeah?" Jou blushed and pressed his lips to Seto's. Though he was startled at first, Kaiba quickly returned the kiss, making Jou moan.

"You don't care about being late to school, do you puppy?" Jou looked at Seto. "Do you think I care? My attendance record is probably in the negatives." Seto chuckled a little. "Point made. I think I can afford to miss a day... want to go back to my house, Pup?"

"Don't call me a dog, Seto!" "Hey, hey! Cool down. Chalk it up to being a pet name." "What happened to pet names like 'baby', 'lover', 'angel', and romantic shit like that?" Seto tilted his head. "You want me to call you a name like that?"

"Point made." The two cuddled together and Seto buzzed the driver. "Take me back home, Ronald. I won't be going to school today." "**Crackle** Yes sir, Mr. Kaiba."

Jou shoved his backpack, letting it fall in the floor, totally regarding the huge report that was due that day.

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Ryou blushed as he realized that Bakura was standing on the stairs leading into school, watching him as one watches a bag containing $1,000,000; with want. "What is it, Bakura?"

The other albino walked up to his mini and tilted his face up to look right into his eyes. "You're little slut friend got Marik suspended. What do you have to say about that?" Ryou kept his gaze even.

"From what I hear, Marik got himself suspended. Malik just happened to be there." An insane blaze appeared in Bakura's eyes as he raised a fist, preparing to hit the other teen.

However, instead of flinching away from Bakura, Ryou hardened his gaze and kicked Bakura, hard, in the shin. "No, Bakura. I'm finished playing the victim to you. You've hurt me enough for one lifetime. So leave. Me. Alone."

Bakura released Ryou's chin, reaching down to place a hand over his wounded shin. "I have no intentions of leaving you alone until you're mine! I won't let you slip away from me!"

"Why?" Ryou asked him, more passion in his voice than Bakura had ever heard. "Why won't you just leave me be? You made me break up with Malik, who I really cared for! Then, you made me like you, only to break my heart into. And now what? Are you going to start stalking me until I agree to go out with you? You're such a brat, Bakura."

The taller teen glared at him. "Don't push me, Ryou. Just because I want you doesn't mean that I won't hurt you if you make me." Ryou looked at him, evenly. "Then go ahead. But hurting me won't make me return your feelings."

Suddenly, Ryou found himself enveloped in a strong grasp. But it didn't feel threatening. In fact, if Ryou didn't know better, he would have called the embrace a hug.

"Then what will? What do I have to do to make you mine? I'm not going to give up! I've never had feelings like this before, and I can't let you slip away from me!"

Ryou caught Bakura's eyes and saw the want, lust, and... love? in that gaze. "You could have anyone, Bakura. So why me?" "Because I think I... I just picked you, that's all!"

"If that's all, then I can't force myself to care for you, Bakura. Not without you telling me why I should." Bakura glared at him. "Fine! Get out of here! But don't think this is the end of this, Ryou! I mean it; somehow, I will have you."

Bakura shoved the teen away from him and made to storm off. However, a petit hand caught his sleeve. "You know... if you were willing to tell me the truth, you might be able to have me now. I mean it, Bakura, why me? What is so special about me that someone like you would care?"

"I don't _know_. That's the problem. From the moment I saw you singing on stage, I was... oh, what's the word I'm looking for?" "Smitten?" "What? No, nevermind. The point is, I can't explain to you why I like you because I myself don't know."

"Then maybe you need to figure it out before you end up causing me any more pain. I can't take much more right now, Bakura. I'm about at my breaking point. If you broke my heart right now, I'm not sure how much longer I could keep pretending that everything's all right."

Bakura looked down into Ryou's doe-brown eyes. "I guess even I can understand that much. But you have to agree to at least be patient with me! I know that Marik and I were... total assholes... but just give me a chance to make it up to you."

"One chance, Bakura. I mean it. I'm not going to let you keep screwing up and forgiving you every time you break my heart."

Despite Bakura's rough nature, he smiled. "Great! I promise, Ryou! I'll be much better this time!" "I hope so, Bakura. For your sake as well as mine."

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Malik glared at the door from which the sound had just come. **Knock, knock, knock!** "Come on, Malik, open the door! I know you're in there; where else do you have to go on a school day?"

"Shut up, Marik, I'm going to open the dang door, okay? Geez, you're impatient." The Egyptian teen opened the door only for Marik to quickly grab him in a tight hug. "Malik. Thank you so much for giving me this chance to make it all up to you."

"I didn't say I was planning to forgive you, Marik Ishtar." Marik squeezed Malik a little tighter, causing Malik to moan in pain. "Oops, sorry."

"It's alright. Well, come on in before the neighbors start staring at us." Malik allowed Marik inside before closing the door behind him. The two sat on the couch, turning to look at each other. "What do you have to say, Marik? Because I don't have all the time in the world to sit here and listen to your sorry excuses."

"I know. Malik, the last few days have been... different. And, though it will do nothing to say this, I'm sure, I think I've fallen in love with you, Malik. And Ra knows, I don't fall in love easily."

Malik looked at him. "Okay, and?" "You don't even care, do you?" "Right now? No. Because I'm really, really, really mad at you. And I doubt that anything you say is going to make me forgive you." "At least be fair and hear me out?" "I'm listening."

"Alright... Malik, from the first time I saw you, I knew you were something special. You weren't a mindless drone or a popular wannabe. You were happy being yourself, the cynical, slightly sadistic psychopath that easily caught my attention. You were... to say the least, fascinating.

The more I saw you standing up to everyone else, being yourself without even a twitch, the more I started to want you. It sounds a little moralistic, but the most attractive person you can be is yourself, right? And even when your humor was made at my expense, I laughed with you. Or, after you, when I was away from everyone else.

"When I realized that I had a chance with you, even the slightest, I took it. I didn't want to think that Bunny had gotten you, not me. So I was talking trash in front of Bakura, saying that I might have to 'royally screw over that albino doormat', and Bakura took it upon himself to say something about it to you; yes, I was there.

"And Ryou had you... what was I supposed to do, Malik? I loved... love you. I really love you."

Malik lowered his gaze, more than slightly affected by Marik's speech. "I didn't know that you really felt like that. I thought it was more of a lust thing than that you _admired me_." "You were able to be honest with yourself. Something I haven't been able to do in years."

Marik leaned forward towards Malik, eyes wide. "Malik... can I kiss you?" Malik put a finger over Marik's lips. "Not yet. No, not yet. First, tell me; what was the point of trying to bust my face in at school yesterday?"

"For crying out loud, Malik! You called me... a jock, a whore, a miserable whelp, and a toy. How would you feel if I decided to call you names like that?" "I was really pissed off at the time!" "Exactly! I was really pissed off when I attacked you."

Malik paused. His mouth formed an understanding O. "I see. I guess I can understand that. I mean... yeah, I've done the same thing." Marik smirked. "I know. So... can you really forgive me?"

Malik leaned forward and gently kissed him. "I suppose I can... overlook it _this one time_. But it had better be smooth sailing for the rest of the week." "Just this week?" The littler blonde looked at him for a moment.

"You're on probation. Screw up one more time, and you won't get any more chances with me. Got it?" Marik kissed him. "Got it. Now, how about we... snuggle?"

Marik climbed on top of Malik and starting to tease his fingertips over Malik's tight skin. "O-ooh, Marik." "That's a love."

"M-Marik, we have to stop! You were only supposed to stay for forty minutes. My dad is getting off of work early, today. He can't come home and find you here!" Malik's face held pure, untainted panic. "Please, Marik, you have to go!"

"Malik, I'm not leaving you." "Trust me, Marik, you don't want to stay here!" "Malik! Hush! You know that I know... and I'm still not going to leave you right now." "Do you want this to be you?" Malik asked, throwing his T-shirt off.

Marik gasped at seeing the black, blue, and yellowing bruises that covered Malik's chest and stomach. "God, Malik." "See? You have to leave before Dad finds you here." Marik pulled Malik into his lap. "I don't care, Malik. I'm not going to abandon you to your father."

"If he doesn't find you, there will be no reason for me to need protecting. Please, Marik, go!"

"No!" The sound of an engine pulling into the driveway filled Malik's conscious. "Oh no, oh no! Oh, Ra, Dad's going to kill me! Please, Marik, just leave out the back door, now!"

Marik kissed Malik, slipping his tongue into the other's mouth. "I refuse to leave you." The front door opened, and Malik knew... this was not going to end pretty.

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Yugi sat at his desk, trying to ignore the poking in his shoulder. "_Yugi. Yugi! Pst. Come on, Yugi, why are you ignoring me?_" The small boy sat still, facing forward. It was very, very difficult to ignore someone like Yami Motou when he wanted your attention.

"_Yugi! Yugi! _Damn it, Yugi, I'm trying to talk to you!" Every head in the classroom except Yugi's turned as Yami realized that he had forgotten to whisper/shout the last part of that. The teacher paused in her lesson to stare as well.

"Yami? Is there something you wanted to say?" "Uh... do I have to?" The sensei laughed and replied, "no, you can opt to go to ASD." Yami thought about it. "Can I be in the same room as Bakura?"

A couple of people laughed while others just scoffed at the spoiled tone of voice he took. "No." Yami frowned. "Oh. Well, in that case, I was trying to talk to Yugi, who is ignoring me, and it's mean!"

Yugi blushed at hearing Yami so loudly proclaim that one of the most popular boys in school was trying to talk to him, an outcast. "What did you want to say to me, Motou?" Yami frowned, unhappily. "Last names, Yugi-chan? What, am I embarrassing you?"

A hiss went around the class as people questioned the 'Yugi-chan'. "Actually, you weren't until then. Now what is it, Yami?" "What's got you in such a snit? You're ignoring me, and I don't like it."

"If you don't have anything to say, I would appreciate it if you would be quiet so we can continue our lesson." "Yugi! What's wrong? Do you think I'm like those two and think I would break your heart like that?" "You already did!"

A few people gasped yet again, and the teacher intervened before Yami could question Yugi's startling statement. "Okay, okay, everyone sit down, and let's focus on the lesson at hand shall we? Yami, you and Yugi can continue this little soap opera after school today."

"Yes, ma'am." Yami sat down, sadly, reaching forward and placing his hand on Yugi's shoulder, intimately. The smaller tried to shrug him off. "Yug..." "Maybe you're confused, Yami. I'm not Anzu."

"What does Anzu have to do with anything?" "Oh, I don't know; I would say a lot after you kissed her!" "Yami! Yugi! Both of you, that's enough."

Yugi smiled with a sad gleam in his eyes. "Of course. My apologies, ma'am." "Hmm." Yami tapped Yugi on the shoulder. "_We're going to talk about this after school._" Yugi sighed. "_Can't wait_."

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Marik stared at the grown man, looking as if though he wished Marik would burst into flames from his gaze. Then, he turned to Malik.

"You miserable little slut! I leave the house for hours, and you have your boyfriend over to bang _in my house_! How dare you!"

"Father! I thought you were going to be gone for a little bit longer." "So you could have sex in _my_ home! You little bitch!"

Marik stood up, taking a step to block the male's view of Malik. "Sir, your son and I were just talking, trying to resolve a little argument from the other day. Really, it's no big deal, sir. We just need to finish our conversation, and I'll be out of your hair."

Malik's father slapped Marik across the face. "Shut up! I don't recall giving you permission to speak, you man whore." Marik's eyes blazed. "What did you call me?" "I called you exactly what you are. Why don't you leave and allow me to deal with my son."

"What are you going to do, beat him again?" Malik gasped, grabbing Marik's shirt tightly in his fist. "Excuse me? I don't think what goes on in my house as being any of your business. And you are, in fact, trespassing in my house."

"How about we go down to the police station together? After all, child abuse is illegal, too." Malik's father glared at the small, now frightened teen. "You told him! You damn little whore! Do you not remember what I told you I'd do to you if you ever told a soul!"

"Please, father! I didn't tell anyone!" Malik's father reached around Marik and grabbed his son by the hair, jerking him to the floor. "Malik! Are you alright?" Marik bent down, cuddling the boy close.

However, Malik's father ripped the teen away from the other and tossed Marik to the side, his head knocking into the wall. "Marik!" The pretty teen let out a groan as his father slugged him in the stomach. "I'll teach you to lie to me, you brat. I'll fix you good."

"Daddy, please! Please, have mercy!" "Mercy! Why should I have mercy on you, you murderer? Would your mother want you to have mercy?"

Malik's lip quivered, and then he burst into tears. "Mother loved me! And she loved you! If she didn't, I wouldn't be here!" **Crack!** Malik jumped back, a handprint across his face.

"I'm going to kill you, Malik. And then you can find out what your mother thinks about a killer like you." "Father!" The adult stormed over to a locked cabinet and took a key down from the top.

The cabinet, Malik knew, held his father's gun. "Dad, please, you don't want to do this!" "Yes, son." He pulled the pistol out. "Yes, I actually do."

Marik shook his head, with bleary thoughts and a horrible headache. However, all thoughts of himself left him quickly as he saw Malik's father aim a gun and prepare to fire on his own son.

Just as the adult pulled the trigger, Marik tackled him. Malik screamed, the bullet whizzing right over his shoulder and cutting him. More shots rang out as a fight began over the firearm, Marik fighting tooth and nail to get the weapon away from the man.

All of a sudden, the fight was over. Malik's father had the most shocked look on his face... and a bleeding wound in his chest. "Father!" Marik's eyes went huge as he stepped back, the elder falling face forward to the floor.

"Father! Father!" Marik grabbed Malik around the waist before he could reach the fallen man. "You killed him! Father!" "Malik, listen to me!" Marik commanded, pulling the boy in close.

"Gods, Malik, you're hurt." "I don't care about me! My father! Father!" Marik held the teen tightly, refusing to let go no matter how much Malik struggled.


	6. El Fin!

Disclaimer: I still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

OKAY, I have to ask; everyone is saying that my story is a lot like a soap opera. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I just have to know, do you guys like this or not? Because I really hope you do. This story is my masterpiece.

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Jou fell back onto the silken bed sheets with a contented sigh. Seto brought Joey into his arms and kissed the back of his neck, lightly. "Again, puppy?" The blonde pushed him off. "I'm not a damn machine, moneybags!"

Seto chuckled and licked behind Jou's ear. "That's alright. I'm a bit worn, myself. You are as energetic as I thought you to be." "Hmm. Set, what time is it?" "About 4 o'clock. Maybe 5 'til."

"What! Oh, damn it! I was supposed to have turned in a paper in my class an hour ago!" Jou dove off the bed, his pale butt flashing Seto, as he tore into his backpack to find the project.

"I am in so much trouble it's not even funny!" "Settle down, pup-sickle. What's the problem?" "I was supposed to'a turned that project in last week! Sense it was late, the teach said that if I didn't bring it _today_ that she was callin' my old man!"

"Grounded?" "At the least!" Joey shouted, gathering all of his stuff together. "Man, Set, I gotta get home!" Jou dashed over to Seto, gave him a quick, blushing kiss on the lips, and dashed out the door without even a good-bye.

Poor Mokuba, who had been heading to ask his brother a question, was almost bowled over. "Seto? Why was Joey leaving so soon? He seemed really nice..." The tone was almost accusatory, a question of 'what did you do to him?'

"I honestly don't know," Kaiba told his little sibling, grabbing the pillow that Joey had been resting upon and hugging it.

Meanwhile, Jou was rushing down the trashiest streets in the city, trying to ignore the drug dealers that constantly plagued the street corners. His only hope was to get home before his father realized that he was late and to catch the phone before his old man could.

The door to the Jounouchi's rundown apartment gave a little squeak as it opened, and Jou tip-toed inside, being as quiet as he could. The small TV in the living room was on and a half-empty beer bottle was gripped in the hand of the adult sitting in the chair.

'Looks like Dad passed out drunk again. Go figure. Maybe tonight he'll leave me alone.' Jou grabbed the telephone and took it into his room with him, hoping that the ringing that was sure to come wouldn't wake the sleeping man up.

Joey placed the phone under his pillow so that the ring would be silenced. Then, he grabbed his deck of Duel Monster cards and tried out a few new strategies that Seto had told him while they were resting after their... second 'round'.

He was so wrapped up in his game that he jumped when the door to his room slammed open. "Hello... Joseph." "Eh, heya, Dad. I see you're awake."

"Don't try and make small talk with me, you piece of trash! I got a call from your teacher today! You've not only been missing assignments, but you didn't even go to school today! Where the fuck were you!"

"I had something really important to take care of. Not like you've ever really cared before." **Whack!** Joey fell back as his father smacked him on the cheek. "Don't you speak to me like that, boy! I'm your father, and you'll treat me with respect!"

"How do you expect me to respect you if you keep treating me like garbage!" **Crack!** "Ow!" Jou's dad grabbed him by the hair and jerked him up to eye level. "Not another word out of you, you miserable bastard!"

Joey winced, recognizing the drunken undertone of his father's voice. "You're drunk, Dad!" "Maybe I am! But you're going to be the one who passes out... from pain!"

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Seto sat at his desk, fidgeting nervously. Tapping the pencil against the wood was the only thing he could do to calm his sudden twitching. 'Why do I miss my puppy so much? He only left an hour ago. I know I slept with him, but that doesn't mean that I can't go without him until the next time I see him."

"Big brother? Are you okay? You can't seem to sit still today. Do you wish Joey was still here?" Seto gave the tiniest of smiles to his little sibling, picking him up into his lap and cuddling him.

"I guess I do wish Jou wouldn't have left. I wonder why he ran out so suddenly." "Do you think maybe he was in trouble?" Seto took a deep breath of his brother's hair. "He might have been..."

"I was supposed to'a turned that project in last week! Sense it was late, the teach said that if I didn't bring it today that she was callin' my old man!" "Grounded?" "At the least!"

"Joey missed turning something in at school. Maybe he's in trouble with his father. He did skip school today." "That makes sense!" Mokuba told him, hugging him. "If Jou needs someplace to come after the crossfire, you could offer to let him stay here!"

Seto smiled. "That would be a good idea. Puppy needs to know that he has someplace to come to if he just needs to get out of the house." Seto picked Mokuba up and set him down on his feet.

"I'm going to go find Puppy. I'll try and bring him back here so that we'll both be happy." "All three of us!" Mokuba cheered. "I really, really like Joey! He's a lot of fun! I want him to stay around!"

The brunette looked at his little brother seriously. "Mokie, I know that I haven't paid as much attention to you as I could have sense I took over the company. I... I'm just starting to realize that. Are you really okay with someone else in there with us?"

"Big brother, all I want is for you to be happy. And I've known from the first time you came home ranting about a 'miserable dog' scratching up our limo, that you love Joey. So go bring our puppy home, Seto!"

Pumped up by Mokuba's words, Seto hit the intercom button insistently. "Ronald! I need you to bring a limo to the front of the building right away!" "Yes, sir, Mr. Kaiba!" With a final run of his fingers through Mokie's hair, Seto rushed briskly out the office door.

After having chewed on his nails the whole trip, Seto stepped out of the limo in front of a rundown building. 'How can Joey live here? I'm surprised he isn't in juvenile hall, growing up in a place like this.'

He walked up multiple flights of stairs, rats, cats, and roaches moving out of the way. He finally knocked on the door next to the brass plate reading 'Jounouchi'. To his annoyance, no one answered the door.

"Puppy! Pup, it's Seto! Open the door!" Still no answer. 'I thought, what with the way Jou was running, he would be here by now.' Seto pulled a credit card out of his pocket. **_What, like he wouldn't carry a million?_** He slid the card down the crack of the door, easily slipping the lock open.

Breaking and entering... it was worth it for his pup! "Joey. Jou, where are you?" **Smack!** "You useless mother fucker!" "Well that doesn't sound pleasant," Kaiba growled, not liking the thought that Joey might have been the one struck.

He walked down the hallway, taking on his most haughty stance. Very intimidating. Only one door down the long hall was closed, and it seemed to be the source of all the noise he'd been hearing.

"Pup! Pup-sickle, where are you? Are you in there?" Silence filled the room behind the closed door. "Who the **hell** is that!" A full-grown adult threw the door open, and Seto stared at the male.

His eyes were red and glazed, his stance more than a little tipsy. "You would be Joey's father, then? Please move out of my way, I need to speak with your son." "Whadda you want with my boy?"

A blonde head poked up from behind the adult. "Seto? What are you doing here?" The brunette didn't respond, instead opting to stare at the bruise forming on his lover's jaw. "I came to offer you a place to stay tonight if you needed to cool down from the fight with your father. Seeing your face, I'm sure it was necessary."

Jou raised his hand to the warm spot. "Did your father do that to you, Puppy-dog?" Joey's dad raised an eyebrow. "Puppy-dog? What do you mean, calling my boy that? Is he your bitch or something!

"You traitorous brat! So _that's_ what you've been doing in your spare time, eh! I'll teach you, you little slut!"

Seto grabbed the fist that swung at Joey in his own grip, squeezing it, tightly. "Don't you _dare_ raise a hand to Jou while I'm standing here. No, not ever! Joey, come here." The blonde ran up to his boyfriend, hugged him, and let his head lay on Seto's chest.

"What are you doing, boy! Don't tell me you actually ended up gay!" Joey hid his eyes in Seto's trench coat. "I _am_ gay, Dad. And I love Seto." "That's my puppy," Seto whispered, fondly, lightly messing up the shaggy hair.

"If you don't get away from that boy right now, don't you dare consider this your home anymore! I didn't raise some gay slut!" "No, you didn't. You raised a kind, happy, honest, and wonderful son. How, I don't know. And I don't care. I just care about the end result; my true love."

"Seto..." Joey blushed, hearing the kind words, knowing there was kindness beneath the cold tone with which his father was addressed. "Grab your things, Joey. He's right, this isn't your home anymore."

Joey raised his eyes to smile at his lover. "Your home is at the mansion with Mokuba and me." "That's right, Seto!" Joey cheered, hugging the brunette, who wrapped his arms around him. "But it's not the mansion that is home. It's this feeling I get, wrapped up in your arms. I'm home, Seto!"

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Yugi swung back and forwards in the swing. "What did you have to say, Yami?" The taller teen sat down on the swing next to Yugi, flinching at the uncaring tone. "Yugi, why are you so mad at me? That kiss with Anzu... I sure didn't like it!"

"Why did you kiss her in the first place? I was honestly thinking about agreeing to go out on a date with you this weekend. You have been so kind to me this week. Even with Marik and Bakura making Ryou and Malik's lives miserable, I felt that you were something more. You broke my heart by kissing that girl!"

Yami reached over and set his hand on Yugi's leg. "I didn't kiss Anzu, Yugi. She kissed me. I told her! I told her that I only liked her as a friend! Didn't you know that? I love _you_, Yugi. Not that girl. She's not the right person for me."

"Such a shame," Yugi replied, keeping his eyes trained downwards. "But I can't admit to caring that much, Yami. You really, really hurt me! I care for you a lot, but you broke my heart into pieces. How am I supposed to get over that?"

"Yugi, I never wanted to hurt you. Never, never, never. You mean the world to me. I love you. And I was planning to ask you out... yesterday afternoon. I was hoping that you'd be my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend!" Apparently, the word had left the classroom that the two were going to talk. Everyone and their cousin ran out of the bushes, shocked at the most popular boy in school asking out the looser loner.

Yami glared around at all of the people. "This isn't your conversation. I suggest you leave Yugi and myself to talk and leave. Now, please!" No one, however, seemed interested in leaving.

"Are you really asking out that little runt?" one of the cheerleaders asked, looking perfectly scandalized. "I know that Anzu likes you! Really, Yami, you don't have to resort to _him_." Yami's gaze turned deadly.

"Don't you dare talk down to someone I care about like that! He means more to me than any of you cheer-bitches put together with a mountain of gold and diamonds. After all, your kind is a dime a dozen! Or two-hundred bucks a night, from what I hear."

A couple of people went 'oooh' at what he said. That was quite a burn. "Yami, why are you choosing this little looser over me!" Anzu ran out of the crowd, trying to look vulnerable but her appearance screwed up by her pasty make-up.

Yugi had, up 'til that point, managed to duck into the invisible state. Even when he and Yami were at the center of a crowd, he was virtually un-noticeable. However, Anzu's appearance let him know, the final showdown was coming.

"It's like a soap opera. He likes me, she likes him, and I'm not even sure I can forgive him for breaking my heart with her." Yami squeezed Yugi's leg a bit. "I'm not going to make you forgive me, Little One. I'm not sure that I could. But I'm not going to give up on you. I love you."

Yugi blushed. "Yami, I'm going to have to think about this. You love me, and I know I like you, but you really hurt me. Anzu likes you, so why don't you just pick her? She'll be better for you that wimpy old me."

"Exactly my point, Yami, honey!" Anzu shrieked, gripping Yami's other hand in her talons. "Anzu, let go of me!" Yami ripped away from the girl. "No, Anzu! I don't like you! You aren't the person I want! I want Yugi! I love him. Not you, you slut!"

People stared! Sense when had a quarterback _ever_ insulted the head cheerleader? It was almost unheard of! The whole school was now torn in half! Follow the popular, _gay_, quarterback or the head cheerleader?

Yugi, however, was quickly figuring out where he stood. But he had to be sure... "Yami, do you have any idea what you're risking for me? These people are what makes you... popular. You might loose your social status. For someone like me."

"Don't put yourself down like that, anymore, Yug," Yami insisted, standing up and turning to face Yugi. "And I don't care what I'm risking. Sure... we all had to give up a lot of ourselves to be where we are, but I don't care."

Yami glared at the crowd. "You people aren't what I care about! You only care about what I am, not who I am! If I wasn't the quarterback, none of you would even know my name! That's not what I want!

"I want you, Yugi. You're the best thing to come into my life, yet. And I'm not going to give up on you. You are everything to me, Yugi. Not, popularity." Yugi looked up at Yami with shiny, tear-filled eyes.

"Oh, Yami. You're really giving all of this up for me? Yami... you're so wonderful. I... I love you, Yami Motou." The two seemed pulled together by gravity as they exchanged their first couple's kiss.

Damn, did the crowd have something to say about that. Anzu burst into tears and all of the cheer-bitches ran to her comfort. Some of the students were shouting and hissing at the couple, hating their _homo-boy_ relationship. Others cheered and catcalled. The two lip-locked didn't care.

They were finally... happy.

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Bakura sat down at a table in the little café near his house. Ryou sat across from him, legs crossed and hands clasped on the tabletop. "What do you want to eat, Bunny-chan?" Ryou blushed. "Um... I don't know." The waitress, in her little uniform, smiled.

"You two are so cute! It's the first time I've seen an actual gay couple come in here before! Just for that, drinks are on me!" Bakura glared, not liking the girl's squeal while Ryou gave an honest smile.

"Thank you. Um, raspberry tea and a crème tart." "Coffee, black, and a donut." The waitress gave Bakura a cool look. "Not the brightest crayon in the box, is he?" she whispered in Ryou's ear as she turned to walk away.

The wilder white-haired boy glared at her. "Bitch. She's working minimum wage, and she dares to talk bad about me?" "Bakura, be nice," Ryou told him, smiling in spite of himself.

"Well, she had no reason to bring attention to us just because we're both guys. There was no excuse for that!" Ryou blushed. "Bakura? Are you embarrassed that I'm a man? I know it probably isn't something usual for you... but I can't change my gender at will, love. It doesn't work like that."

Bakura glared, lightly. "I know that! I just... never thought I would find myself infatuated with an unpopular _guy_, you know?" "Which is the bigger scandal to you? That I'm an outcast or that I'm male?"

"Fuck, I don't know! I don't really call either a _scandal_. I care about you..." Ryou waited for the end of the sentence. When it didn't come, he understood. "You really like me. Don't you, Bakura?" "Yeah, Bunny. I do."

Ryou smiled at him, softly. "You're very insensitive, Bakura. You don't think about anyone but yourself. You're impatient. You can't be romantic, and you have a bad temper." "Gee, what are my good points?"

The smaller laughed. "I wasn't finished! Even though you _are_ all of those things, I can't stop from finding myself perfectly drawn to you. You aren't anything at all like the person I imagined myself falling in love with."

Bakura grinned. "Love? You love me, Ryou?" He blushed. "I do. I love you very much, Bakura. In spite of everything, I love you." The two sat, enjoying each other's presence.

Suddenly, Ryou pulled his backpack into his lap and started digging through it. "Ryou?" "This feeling... it's so incredible! I have to write this down. Inspiration like this isn't something you can find that easily!"

A hardcover notebook was pulled out of the bag and opened to a new page. The scratching of the pencil on paper comforted them both as their food arrived. "Call me if you need anything," she chirped, picking up Bakura's hand, brazenly, and putting it atop Ryou's.

The effeminate boy smiled and turned his hand over, clasping it with Bakura's. "Are you getting a lot of work done, Bunny?" "I'm almost done, Bakura-chan. It's not long, just an opening, but it says a lot."

"Well, let's hear it then!" Ryou finished up his scribbling and put the pencil away. "Okay, this isn't going to be very good. I haven't done warm ups, and I don't have any music to go behind it.

"**Kind and lovely... slow and purely. Feel my soul rising out of me. You make it all feel so gentle and wise. And your love is one more thing that grows sweeter with time.**"

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_**Two weeks later:**_

Isis stared at the policeman sitting on her couch with indifference. "So your asking me to reveal any information I know concerning my father's killer. Is that it?" "Yes, ma'am. We want to find this guy."

She smiled. "I see. I'm afraid that will be impossible. You see... my brother and I are refusing to reveal any information we know concerning this terrible event. I'm sorry officer. That is our last statement."

"Do you want the person who murdered your father to walk free?" Isis's smile quickly turned to a frown. "My brother... is still alive... because of that person saving him _from_ our father. We owe his life to that person. You aren't going to be getting anymore from us. I'm sure you know where the door is, officer. Thank you for stopping by."

The girl walked into the kitchen to see her little brother glaring at the officer through the sliding wood blinds that separated the rooms. "Asshole," he hissed. Isis glared lightly and whacked him on the head with a rolled up magazine.

"Enough, Malik. You need to get going or you're going to be late for your outing with your friends." "Yikes!" Malik cried, grabbing his jacket off the back of the chair. "Thanks, sister! I'll be back later!"

She grinned lightly. "Not spending the night with _him_?" "Enough, Isis! Be nice!" The two laughed. "Okay, little brother. Have fun!" "I will!"

Malik pulled his coat on and grabbed his wallet, slamming the door behind him. The cop was still sitting in his little cop-car in front of the house. Malik sat down on the chair on the porch, exchanging frozen looks with the man until he heard his name called.

"Mal! Sorry I'm late, baby!" Malik grinned, running to hug his boyfriend. "Marik! You've been ages! Come on, let's go! The others are waiting for us!" "I know. Let's go!" The two hopped on Malik's bike.

The slighter teen nuzzled his boyfriend's back, hugging him from behind. "Ready?" "Hit it!" The two sped off, leaving streaks on the road. Marik was getting more than a little excited by the slight rubbing up against his back.

Finally, the two arrived at the arcade. Marik stood up, turned around, and kissed Malik hard on the lips. When the two separated, Marik frowned. "By the way, was that cop asking questions?"

"As they always do. No one seems to get that Isis and I don't want you in some detention center away from me. I love you... I'm not quite over the... trauma, but I'm not getting rid of you."

"Trauma... God, Malik. You just have to make me feel so horrible. I don't know how I can live with this. The guilt... I killed someone, for Ra's sake!" Malik hugged him. "You saved my life, Marik. And I'm never going to make you face all of this alone."

"Thank you, Malik. Thank you for giving me another chance. And for loving me. You are my sweet, sweet flower, my Little Lotus." Malik smiled at the nickname. "I love you, Marik."

"What are you two lovebirds doing out here?" Bakura poked his head outside. "Come on in, you two! You're going to get arrested for PDA." "Shut up, Bakura!" The albino smirked at his friend. "Then get a move on! We already have a table."

Malik and Marik walked hand in hand into the arcade where all of their friends were waiting for them, knowing that things were finally alright. The rift between popular and outcast was sealed.

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**_Holy crap... I think it's over! Holy crap! Awesome! But don't anyone tell me to add on to it, waaay to stressful. But I think I did a good job on this, despite the hurried ending. Usually I focus on Mari and Mali, so I had to cut back... Oh well! Thanks for reading my greatest baby: I'm Not Like You!_**


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